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How COVID-19 will change the way restaurants run

WE already know and feel how the current pandemic has changed the way we work, cough, or even show love. A recent webinar by Enderun Extension showed that the pandemic might affect even the way we eat, from the speakers’ recommendations on how restaurants will have to change in order to face a world during, and after a pandemic.

Titled “Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation, Rebooting Your Food Business During COVID-19,” Cheong Yan See, Culinary Head of Enderun Colleges said, “It’s no longer enough for us to operate way we used to before.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Wessam Atif, founder of FoodSHAP (Safety and Hygiene Academy of the Philippines) pointed out that although the COVID-19 virus is not transmitted through food, “This does not mean that it is not related to food in one way or another.”

“Most of the flus, and similar pandemics in the past 100 years or so, were related to food in a very important way, but maybe in an indirect manner.” He noted that the process by which viruses reach humans is through animals we consume for meat: the viruses begin in wild animals, which transmit them to domestic animals, and then on to humans. To emphasize the point, he brought up the 2011 film Contagion, about a pandemic (the film, though fictional, is solidly based on science). The ending shows how the virus was first spread by a bat who had entered a pigpen. A piglet from the pen is then handled by a chef in a Macau casino, who then shakes hands with Gwyneth Paltrow’s character — who then becomes Patient Zero. Dr. Atif points out the crucial step missed out during this whole sequence: the chef did not wash his hands. If he had, the movie would have ended there.

Glenn dela Cruz, a food safety management system practitioner and a microbiologist said, “The good news is, our advice about food safety and COVID-19 pandemic are just the same.” Both speakers emphasized the importance of washing one’s hands. Dr. Atif recalls a World Health Organization (WHO) project he participated in, which included a field assessment of public markets in the Philippines. “One of the major issues I wanted to focus on was the presence of many live animals in the market, as well as hand washing,” he said. “I remember that there was not a single handwashing station in the market that we visited, which is a serious concern.”

“This means that our first concern should focus on hygiene and proper veterinary procedures in farms and primary production.” For this he recommends more careful vetting of food sources and suppliers. He also emphasizes the health of staff members: “If you have any workers or members of staff who are showing sickness, they should not work, and that is also the basic food safety training anywhere you go. This is not only the case for COVID-19 but we have many diseases in the region, like tuberculosis and measles.”

Mr. Dela Cruz gave the following recommendations: clean and complete uniforms must be worn at all times within the workplace, but not outside it — uniforms might be infected with a virus during transit to and from the workplace. Food should not be allowed out at room temperature for more than two hours, and the same goes for cutlery and plates at restaurants (restaurant goers are used to seeing plates and cutlery sitting out on tables, waiting for us). He also recommends frequent sanitation of all utensils with approved chemicals. As for his points about handwashing, he said that many kitchen staff provide the following reasons as to why they neglect to wash their hands: either they weren’t given the training, or there are no facilities for handwashing: this should include soap, running water with a temperature of at least 38 degrees celsius, paper towels, and nail brushes.

Dr. Atif has a case against raw food during a pandemic. “When you have raw ingredients like in sashimi — when you receive it, there has to be good handling, and you have to prepare it, sanitize it, and send it out. It’s just that it’s so susceptible to contamination because it was not heat-treated.”

“The virus dies if treated with heat above 56 degrees Celsius. I highly discourage you to put raw items in the menu. Concentrate on the cooked items.”

This goes as well in the kitchen. He recalls students asking him why they have to wear gloves in handling raw food, when they’re about to be cooked anyway, thus killing any microbes. “I’m not worried about the food as much as I’m worried about your own safety as a food handler,” he said.

“I really want us to be careful, as a lifestyle. Not only because of COVID-19. This pandemic would end, like all other pandemics end. You wake up one day, and there will no longer be any cases. But we need to change our lifestyle and culture, in preparation for the next pandemic.

“If a virus finds a clean and sanitized environment, this is not friendly for the virus.” — Joseph L. Garcia

No collection of toll fees at C5 flyover crossing SLEx — TRB

THE Cavitex Infra Corp. (CIC) and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) have jointly filed a motion for the extension of their provisional authority to collect toll fees at the C5 Southlink Expressway (C5 flyover crossing SLEx), the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) said.

“The TRB wishes to inform motorists that there will be no collection of toll fees at C5 Southlink Expressway (C5 flyover crossing SLEx) starting…24 April 2020, following the expiration of CAVITex’s provisional authority to collect,” the TRB said in an advisory released by the Department of Transportation over the weekend.

It added: “Motion for Extension of Authority filed by the Cavitex Infra Corp. (CIC) and Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) on 23 April 2020 is ongoing processing and resolution.”

The C5 South Link Expressway is a 7.7-kilometer six-lane project of the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (CAVITEx), connecting Circumferential Road 5 (C5) to CAVITEx via Merville and Sucat in Parañaque City. The first two kilometers of the expressway project connecting the C5 road to Merville was opened to motorists in July last year.

The CIC has said that it was targeting to open the whole C5 South Link alignment this year. Once completed, the project is seen to reduce traffic to 30 minutes from the usual one hour.

CIC is part of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).

MPIC is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., others being PLDT, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Peso expected to weaken on volatile oil prices

THE PESO may weaken this week amid continued volatility in global oil prices due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The local unit finished trading at P50.84 per dollar on Friday, shedding 17 centavos from its P50.67 close on Thursday, according to data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

Despite this, the currency was still up 10 centavos week-on-week compared to its P50.90 finish on April 17.

Analysts said the weaker peso came amid risk-off sentiment after the announcement of the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

“The peso exchange rate closed weaker after the two-week extension of the lockdown in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas which could further reduce economic activities,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a text message.

UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion also attributed the depreciation of the local unit to the lockdown’s extension, with the market expecting this to affect the economy.

“Although some parts of the country has been placed on a lower containment grade called general community quarantine, 86.2% of the economy is still expected to be under a stricter quarantine,” he said in a text message.

The recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to extend ECQ in some high risk areas was approved by President Rodrigo R. Duterte last week.

For this week, Mr. Ricafort said market sentiment will continue to be affected by trends in global oil prices.

The pandemic has taken its toll on global oil demand which has dropped by 30% since early March because of the virus.

Meanwhile, Mr. Asuncion expects the peso to maintain its relative strength this week on the back of the country’s strong dollar reserves.

“The peso has been resilient even amid the COVID-19 pandemic… This may be due to the strong external position years even before the pandemic,” he said.

In a statement on Saturday, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno attributed the peso’s continued resilience amid the pandemic to its “hefty” gross international reserves” and “strong economic fundamentals”.

“[T]he peso remains steady. It is the second strongest currency (next to Japan) among 14 monitored Asian foreign currencies after the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr. Diokno told reporters in a Viber message on Saturday.

For this week, Mr. Ricafort gave a forecast range of P50.65 to P51, while Mr. Asuncion sees the peso moving around the P50.70 to P51 levels. — L.W.T. Noble with Reuters

Stocks to move sideways on earnings, Fed meet

STOCKS are seen to move sideways this week as investors take cues from company earnings, guidance reports and possible monetary stimulus abroad in light of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) lost 134.57 points or 2.4% to close at 5,464.98 on Friday. This resulted in an end to the PSEi’s four-week streak of posting increases as it recorded a 5.6% decline last week.

Value turnover came in slower with a 34.4% drop to an average of P5.02 billion. Foreign money still flowed out of the local bourse, but net selling was halved to an average of P617.95 million from P1.24 billion the week prior.

“Sentiment took a hit from negative pricing on crude futures due to concerns over weak demand and rising supply, as well as the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) at home from April 30 to May 15,” online brokerage 2TradeAsia.com said in a market note.

The price of oil in United States dropped to below $0 per barrel at the start of last week, resulting in losses in global equities over worries on its possible impact on economies that rely on oil.

The ECQ was also extended for another two weeks in selected areas after April 30, fueling concerns on how businesses can recover following this halt.

Heading into this week, Timson Securities, Inc. Trader Darren T. Pangan said the market may “go sideways as long as the 5,000 support level holds.”

“The sideways trend may help the market gain strength to eventually retest the 6,000 resistance area. Investors are carefully assessing the market as corporate earnings and management guidance reports continue to be released in the coming weeks,” he said in a text message Sunday.

This trading week be cut to four days as the market is closed on May 1 in observance of Labor Day.

2TradeAsia.com said investors will continue weighing how companies will react to the extension of ECQ in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) and other areas across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It noted other areas that are considered “low-risk” and “moderate risk” will be downgraded to a general community quarantine, which may result in gradual reopening of businesses.

“The soonest the mass testing procedure takes place, the higher the chances in getting the local economy restarted on a ‘new normal’ mode. As the restart process is extended, however, the economic dent is bound to affect firms’ financial performance, but it is not too late to recover these dents so long as the restart process is firmly supported with no further disruptions or relapses,” it said.

Aside from local activities, 2TradeAsia.com said investors will keep watch of the meeting of the US Federal Open Market Committee this week, which is expected to result in more monetary easing. “If another rate cut is supported, this would likely ripple into similar actions in the region,” it said.

The brokerage is putting immediate support for the PSEi within 5,200 to 5,300 and resistance within 5,600 to 5,650. — Denise A. Valdez

Hungry Venezuela’s crops rot in fields for lack of fuel

LA GRITA, VENEZUELA — With millions of people hungry in Venezuela, acute fuel shortages are forcing farmers to let crops rot in fields or feed them to livestock since they cannot transport food to market during the coronavirus quarantine.

Irrigation systems are halted in the western Andean highlands and laborers cannot get to fields for harvest. The fuel shortages have worsened in recent weeks as Washington has tightened sanctions on the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Even before the coronavirus crisis, some 9 million Venezuelans already were suffering from malnutrition, according to the UN World Food Programme, and the latest developments may make it increasingly difficult to keep the country in quarantine.

“I gave the lettuce to the cattle because it’s lost,” said Angel Mora, 55, a farmer in the agricultural hub of La Grita. “It makes me sad because this is our daily bread. We have to provide for our children and grandchildren.”

The 500 trucks that typically leave La Grita each week are now halted by quarantine and fuel shortages, leaving nearly 5,000 tonnes of food per week stranded in the highlands, said Robert Maldonado, who represents the region’s farmers.

The land around La Grita, a city of some 100,000 inhabitants near the border with Colombia, has for decades been a center of Venezuela’s fresh vegetable production.

Some growers simply leave crops in fields. Others sell goods at discounts to neighbors or donate them to churches that provide food for the poor, who have long struggled to feed themselves due to years of hyperinflation.

There are no official figures on how much food is being lost. The information ministry and state oil company PDVSA did not respond to requests for comment on food spoilage and fuel shortages.

Venezuela, which has reported 311 cases of coronavirus and 10 deaths, ordered a strict quarantine in March to prevent the spread of the disease.

“This is what humanitarian activists hoped to never see: a sanitary crisis on top of a nutritional crisis,” wrote Venezuelan nutrition expert Susana Raffalli on Twitter. “It hits us as the country does not have gasoline, protective equipment or a clear response to COVID-19.”

VULNERABLE TO CORONAVIRUS
The United Nations has described Venezuela as one of the world’s most vulnerable nations to the disease due to its deteriorated health system and lack of running water and soap to maintain basic hygiene.

The OPEC country’s decrepit refineries are in near collapse and the US State Department has pressured companies not to sell gasoline to Venezuela, according to sources, creating long lines at service stations around the country.

Maduro blames the fuel shortages and the economic problems on US sanctions.

Venezuela’s heavy fuel subsidies have made it so cheap that drivers rarely bother paying for it when they fill up at PDVSA service stations.

But fuel on the black market now fetches upwards of $4 per liter ($15.72 per gallon), which farmers say would leave their shipping costs greater than the value of the merchandise.

Many find themselves stuck waiting in fuel lines with trucks full of fruits and vegetables that become damaged after hours under the hot sun.

Nelson Romero, 30, had to plow under an entire field of $11,000 worth of carrots because they had gone bad.

“This harvest was supposed to go to market, but for lack of gasoline there was no way to move it,” he said.

Some desperate potato growers in the nearby state of Merida have returned to their ancestral roots, loading oxen with sacks and walking them to market, said Gerson Pabon of the country’s potato growers association.

Around 50,000 tons of plantain — a crucial element of the Venezuelan diet — are at risk in the western Zulia state, according industry leaders.

Zulia’s once-powerful dairy and cattle farmers are also facing potential losses, worsened by chronic blackouts that limit refrigeration.

Some have banded together to rent trucks to transport products to Maracaibo, Zulia’s capital and Venezuela’s second city. Others pool resources to buy fuel for transport.

On a small plot of land 15 minutes outside La Grita, 38-year-old Azael Duque on a Saturday morning was cutting up 2,000 celery plants whose leaves were wilting after too much time in the ground — meaning buyers would not accept them.

“It’s the first time I’ve lost a harvest because there’s no gasoline to transport it,” said Duque, swinging a machete at the damaged celery. “We’re worried, because there’s going to reach a point when we can’t sow, we can’t work.” — Reuters

Porsche leads effort to airlift PPE from Shanghai to hospitals in Germany

STUTTGART-HEADQUARTERED sports car maker Porsche has been partnering with logistics firms DB Schenker and Lufthansa Cargo to ensure that medical equipment reaches hospitals, emergency service units, and other institutions in Germany.

Since April 9, Porsche has been “organizing the supply chain and looking after the airlifting of protective masks, goggles and suits from Shanghai, China, to Germany,” the company said in a release. “To date, at least six aircraft a week have been transporting the cargo to Frankfurt and Munich, where the materials are then trucked to a warehouse at Stuttgart airport. From there, authorities from the German states of Saxony and Baden-Wurttemberg take over the distribution of the protective equipment to concerned agencies.”

According to Porsche, since the flights started, “several million masks” of various protection classes, plus protective suits and goggles have made their way to Stuttgart. It is projected that by the end of May, materials reaching Germany will have amounted to over €100 million — and a collective volume that requires up to 50 passenger planes to transport.

Said Uwe-Karsten Stadter, a member of the executive board for procurement at Porsche AG, “Everyone is contributing their strengths in this joint effort, and it is working extremely well. At the moment it is more than ever about getting involved, showing consideration for others, and taking on responsibility — central values of our Porsche culture.”

For its part, DB Schenker said it is pleased that it is able to keep supply chains for the medical products, citing its network in almost 140 countries is guaranteeing the supplies reach the people who need them. Meanwhile, Lufthansa Cargo explained using passenger aircraft as freight planes further ensure that the medical equipment arrive safely in Germany.

Stuff to do at home (04/27/20)

Online conference with Javier Gómez Santander

Instituto Cervantes de Manila presents an online lecture on April 28 (7 p.m.) by Javier Gómez Santander, the head writer and executive co-producer of the popular Spanish TV show La casa de papel (also known by its English title Money Heist). In his talk, Gómez Santander will share aspects of his career as a screenwriter, as well as a couple of secrets and details of the creation of the successful crime drama. The online lecture is presented by Instituto Cervantes de Manila in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines. Admission is free on a first-come, first served basis via Zoom. For more information visit http://manila.cervantes.es or Instituto Cervantes’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila.

Cultural Center of the Philippines shows online

Catch the following shows on CCP Online: Juan Miguel Severo’s Hintayan ng Langit, directed by Raffy Tejada for Virgin Labfest XI, will premiere on April 28, 3 p.m. The Philippine Madrigal Singers will serenade netizens once again with Tanghalan Naming Tahanan, with choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio, on April 30, 3 p.m. The Ramayana-inspired ballet musical Rama Hari will once again come alive on the virtual stage on May 2, 3 p.m. Subscribe to the CCP YouTube channel at bit.ly/CCPOnlineYT.

Online concert with Filipina rockers

Filipina rock singers Aia de Leon, Barbie Almalbis, and Kitchie Nadal will stream a concert via Facebook Live on May 1 (8 p.m.), to raise funds for employees and workers of live music venues in Metro Manila. The online concert is the third installment of their concert series, Secrets, and will be streamed on their Facebook page.

The National Museum of the Philippines

Learn about National Artist Carlos V. Francisco’s mural Filipino Struggles through History (1968), as well as the sculptures on the entablatures (c. 1934) by Isabelo Tampinco and sons Angel and Vidal, through a 360 virtual tour in the National Museum of the Philippines. Meanwhile, the museum has released its third coloring sheet, this time featuring fossils. To view the mural and download the coloring sheets, visit http://www.pamana.ph/ncr/manila/botong_struggles.html?fbclid=IwAR3y3WdWQuURreAtYh4CC4OsNNyt7xCUbIL9V07NP4uO5vq4AFbzl-JzSXw and https://www.facebook.com/nationalmuseumofthephilippines/.

Bloomerg’s free 3-month subscription for media students

Bloomberg Media is offering every college and graduate student free access to Bloomberg.com for the next three months until July 31. Students can register with their university e-mail address to access all of Bloomberg.com’s premium news and analysis of business, finance, climate change, technology, politics and more, providing a critical resource to all who are navigating the pandemic. For more information, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/1B6UtUQ68vOFex1/?utm_source=launch. Interested students may register at https://www.bloomberg.com/account/register.

Dulaang UP’s Orosman at Zafira

Dulaang UP’s 2011 staging of Francisco Balagtas’ Orosman at Zafira, directed by Dexter M. Santos, is now available for streaming online. The broadcast is for the benefit of KALingain Ang Kapwa Fund, a fundraising campaign by the UP Diliman College of Arts and Letters and the CAL Student Council for the CAL workers. The campaign will also provide supplies for the UP students who have been marooned in their dorms by the pandemic, and for the medical assistance of Rosana Pariñas, the wife of UP Deptartment of European Languages staff Felix Pariñas. Watch the show at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=5JNo5RFjj7k&feature=emb_title. To donate, visit https://ticket2me.net/e/6519.

Gardening 101

Nature therapy advocate and founder of creative nature business Plant Project PH Jennie Agcaoili presents Gardening 101, an online series about growing plants while living in the city. On May 2 (4 p.m.), Ms. Agcaoili will teach how to grow plants with leftovers with “Re-growing from Kitchen Scraps.” The 45-minute episodes will be streamed on www.facebook.com/AssemblyGrounds. For more information, visit www.assemblygroundsattherise.com. Follow Assembly Grounds on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: @assemblygrounds.

Moviemov Italian Film Festival online

The Moviemov Italian Film Festival, produced and organized by acplaytown Roma, brings movies in a virtual cinema through My Movies. Some of the directors and interpreters of the films will take part with live social and video contributions in the virtual theatre. Il Colpo del Cane (The Dog Snatch) by Fulvio Risuleo will be shown on April 26, 9 p.m.. For more information and instructions on how to watch films, visit https://www.facebook.com/MoviemovItalianFilmFestival/, and https://www.facebook.com/events/2719489801613065/.

CCP Online

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) will be screening recordings of its shows through CCP Online, including Tanghalang Pilipino’s Batang Mujahideen, written by Malou Jacob and directed by Guelan Luarca, premiered on April 24 and is available for streaming for a week before it is replaced with new shows. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/user/culturalcenterphils.

Screenings at MCAD

The Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) launches the online platform Screenings which showcases its programs. Works from the current exhibition, Constructions of Truths, will be on view on its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFWs7Zctmk2Nor8a6W41bRw) for 24 hours starting April 26, 8 a.m. until April 27, 8 a.m. Read more about the exhibition at http://www.mcadmanila.org.ph/mcad-screenings-constructions-of-truths/.

English National Ballet shows online

English National Ballet has launched ENB at Home. It will be releasing one show weekly for its “Wednesday Watch Parties.” The first in the lineup is Broken Wings, a Frida Kahlo-inspired production starring lead principal and ENB artistic director Tamara Rojo as Frida. It will be available to stream for free for 48 hours. Watch at https://www.youtube.com/user/enballet or https://www.facebook.com/EnglishNationalBallet/.

The Royal Ballet shows online

The Royal Ballet in London launches its #OurHouseToYourHouse series where shows can be streamed through its official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/. Watch Arthur Pita’s dance-theater adaptation of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis at https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/videos/217068512883588.

Buyer & Cellar with Michael Urie

American actor Michael Urie reprises his 2013 role in Jonathan Tolin’s one-man comedy play, Buyer & Cellar via the Broadway.com YouTube channel. He plays a struggling actor who takes an unusual job at the Malibu estate of Barbra Streisand. The performance is directed by Nic Cory.

Radiohead Concerts

British rock band Radiohead has been uploading some of its concerts via its official YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/user/radiohead). Fans of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band known for songs like “Creep” (1992) and “Fake Plastic Trees” (1995) can watch the concerts Live from a Tent in Dublin (2000) and Live in Berlin (2006).

David Guetta: United at Home

French DJ David Guetta, the man behind the song “Titanium” (2011) featuring singer SIA, held a live concert fundraiser inside his Miami home on Sunday benefitting the World Health Organization and other charities. The two-hour concert is currently available on his YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/user/davidguettavevo).

Josh Groban concerts

Josh Groban brings his concerts to your home via online streaming every Thursday on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/joshgroban). Coming up next is Stages: Live (2016), premieres on April 30 (5 p.m. PT/ 8 p.m. ET). The singer has also included commentary throughout each film. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/JoshGroban/.

Worldwide Concert for Our Culture

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s annual Spring Gala: Worldwide Concert for Our Culture is now available to stream online. The honorees of the event are Clarence Otis and Jacqueline L. Bradley (Ed Bradley Award for Leadership in Jazz) and Phil Schaap (Jazz at Lincoln Center Award for Artistic Excellence). Performers at the gala include: Wynton Marsalis, Cecile McLorin Salvant, and Sullivan Fortner, Chucho Valdes, Nduduzo Makhathini, and Baqir Abbas. For more information, visit jazz.org/gala2020. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IjJbZetCvGw.

Dior’s Designer of Dreams exhibition

Dior’s exhibition titled Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is now available to view online. Originally held at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs from 2017 to 2018, the exhibition traces the evolution of the house of Dior from post-war Paris to the present through a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the exhibition, plus a virtual tour of its rooms. Visit Dior’s YouTube channel to watch the documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1521&v=FLWDWzMrkBE&feature=emb_title).

Frank Lloyd Wright virtual tours

The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, in partnership with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Unity Temple Restoration Foundation, is offering #WrightVirtualVisits every Thursday (1 p.m. Eastern/10 a.m. Pacific time) in participating sites. Check the participating sites at https://savewright.org/news/public-wright-sites-swap-virtual-visits/.

Movie night with Jamie Lee Curtis

Every Saturday (in the Philippines) until May 8, Lionsgate and Fandango’s Movie Clips YouTube channels will be streaming films. The show, called Movie Night with Jamie Lee Curtis, will be hosted by the actress. On May 2, watch La La Land (2016) by Damien Chazelle, and John Wick (2014) by Chad Stahelski. Aside from the screening, Ms. Lee Curtis will also engage with the online audience via real-time chats and movie trivia.

Color Tolkien characters

The official Facebook page of Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien has uploaded an illustration of Smaug the Magnificent from The Hobbit Movie Trilogy Colouring Book. Download the coloring sheet at https://bit.ly/2wKY3lp.

The Paris Opera Online

The Paris Opera is offering free ballets and operas for streaming. The scheduled shows are: The Tales of Hoffmann (2016) on April 20 to 26; Carmen (2017) on April 27 to May 3; and the Cycle of Tchaikovsky’s six symphonies played by the Orchestra of the Paris National Opera, conducted by Philippe Jordan, from March 17 to May 3. To watch, visit https://www.operadeparis.fr/.

MoMA free courses online

After offering virtual tours, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is now offering free online courses. The courses include a series of five free classes for contemporary art, fashion, and photography. It includes readings and exercises which can be completed within 12 to 38 hours. For details, visit https://www.coursera.org/moma.

Celebrities read children’s books

Enjoy reading time with the kids as celebrities read children’s stories online. Watch Eddie Redmayne read Julia Donaldson’s Zog about a clumsy dragon who wants to be the best student in his class (https://www.facebook.com/MagicLightPics/videos/247819456374650/). Chris Evans reads Laura Numeroff’s If You Give a Dog a Donut (https://www.facebook.com/cevansonline/videos/214260509657142/). Kate Winslet reads Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham (https://www.facebook.com/campbestival/videos/253265512478422/).

Print & Play activities for kids

Keep kids entertained with new curated Print & Play activities from HP. The activities, from craft making and mazes, to dot-to-dot drawing and puzzles are suitable for ages two to 12. With HP Print & Play, parents can choose from a range of activities that are best suited to their children’s needs to achieve the best possible learning outcomes. To try the activities, visit https://www8.hp.com/ph/en/printers/printandplay/index.html?jumpid=va_u19mhncewr.

Harry Potter exhibit online

The British Library’s Harry Potter: A History of Magic exhibition is available online through Google Arts and Culture. Its features include video clips and sketches, and a Q&A with exhibit curator Julian Harrison. To view, visit https://artsandculture.google.com/project/harry-potter-a-history-of-magic.

The National Theater online

London’s National Theater offers free plays online at its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDq1XzCY0NIOYVJvEMQjqw).

The Nanny’s Pandemic Table Read

The cast of the ‘90s comedy sitcom The Nanny reunites for The Pandemic Table Read of the show’s pilot episode. It stars Fran Drescher as Fran Fine who finds a job as a nanny to the three children of wealthy widower and theater producer Maxwell Sheffield (played by Charles Shaughnessy). To watch, visit Sony Pictures Entertainment’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3a6KuP1X14&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1eEwvK0A7lrLMnt2GTXBPoDR7y8_Q5TXMexTLIo9es9Gei4W1Yi-asITM

Free Nikon photography class online

Nikon is offering free online photography classes until April 30. Topics include fundamentals of photography, shooting for landscape, portraiture, music videos, and speedlight control. To participate, visit https://www.nikonevents.com/us/live/nikon-school-online/.

Science experiments at home

Enjoy 44 science experiments with the kids at home with the James Dyson Foundation Challenge cards. To download the challenge cards, visit https://www.jamesdysonfoundation.co.uk/resources/challenge-cards.html.

Hogwarts online

Hogwarts Is Here is an online version of the Harry Potter series’ magical school, created by Harry Potter fans, that allows visitors to take courses like the characters from J.K. Rowling’s book series. Among the various courses are Astronomy, Herbology, History of Magic, and Transfiguration. The website also includes a forum, groups, and library feature. Visit http://www.hogwartsishere.com/.

Color Manolo Blahnik designs

Manolo Blahnik shares a selection of his original shoe sketches for coloring. The shoe designs are downloadable at https://www.manoloblahnik.com/gb/smile.html.

DUP’s plays online

Three Dulaang UP plays — Floy Quintos’ The Kundiman Party, Ang Nawalang Kapatid, and Nick Joaquin’s Father’s and Sons — are now available for streaming on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm2k83BMK9Fq39P6yJH9lng.

Podcasts on Philippine crime

Stories After Dark features podcasts on Philippine true crime and mystery stories. It currently has 14 episodes including The Maguindanao Massacre (2009), The Ozone Disco Fire (1996), and Pepsi Paloma: Rape or Publicity Stunt? Suicide or Murder? (1982/1985). To listen, visit https://www.facebook.com/storiesafterdarkph/.

Palacio de Memoria virtual tour

Art and history enthusiasts can now go on a virtual tour of the Colonial Revival mansion Palacio de Memoria, and see its luxurious facilities and hundreds of Euro-Filipino paintings, sculptures, art displays, and historical pieces online. It features the showroom of Palacio de Memoria’s auction house, Casa de Memoria or the Casa, which houses the Lhuilliers’ collection of antiques, the Mosphil Lounge, and a passenger plane that that was refitted to be a lounge for special occasions. To view the complete Palacio de Memoria virtual tour, visit https://www.palaciodememoria.com/tours. For more updates, follow @thepalaciodememoria on Facebook and @palacio.de.memoria on Instagram.

Intramuros virtual tour

Visit the sites of Intramuros through its virtual tours at https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/intramuros-administration?fbclid=IwAR0aRtUOboFvmpk73FwjO_OZBBD5OKRfoFBWUOGgPAUUpaA7DquxNG0Jlks. The walled city’s sites may also be visited through the Experience Philippines augmented reality app. The app is free and available on Google Play or the App Store

Photography workshops with Canon PH

Canon Philippines is offering photography workshops for the month of April via its official Facebook page. The workshops will feature Canon brand ambassadors and professional photographers who will tackle basic to advanced techniques, and specialized topics such as food, architecture, wedding, and music events photography, and vlogging. View the workshop schedule at https://www.facebook.com/canonphils/photos/a.436807569702668/2967524323297634/?type=3&theater.

E-coloring books

The Getty Museum and the Getty Research Institute of Los Angeles offers the “Color Our Collections” edition for 2020. To view, visit http://library.nyam.org/colorourcollections/page/11/.

NFB animated shorts online

Watch animated short films from the National Film Board of Canada at https://www.nfb.ca/animation/.

Silverlens launches Art Boost

To keep in touch with art lovers, Silverlens presents Art Boost, an online drive to maintain our engagement with art through social media, exhibition catalogues, and videos. Follow Silverlens’ official social media pages for a series of #athomewith, #weeklyartwork, #trivia, and #sundayread. Visit Silverlens’ official YouTube and Vimeo for artists profiles such as Gary-Ross Pastrana, and Patricia Perez Eustaquio.

National Museum of the Philippines

The National Museum uploaded a coloring sheet of Juan Luna’s Spoliarium by Bryan Ferrer which may be physically or digitally colored. For information, visit https://www.facebook.com/nationalmuseumofthephilippines/posts/3123148164376147.

Children’s books online

Enjoy digitized children’s book titles from the University of California (UCLA)’s children’s book collection at https://archive.org/details/yrlsc_childrens&tab=collection; and University of Florida’s digital collection of the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature at https://ufdc.ufl.edu/baldwin/all/thumbs.

5-hour museum tour

Experience a five-hour tour in Russia’s Hermitage Museum, shot by filmmaker Axinya Gog on an iPhone 11 Pro. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=49YeFsx1rIw&feature=emb_title.

Guitar lessons with Fender

Fender is offering three months of free lessons for guitar, bass and ukulele. It includes high-resolution videos with teachers, and a progress tracker. Follow along to videos, and practice at your own pace with the adjustable scrolling tablature and a metronome. To sign up, visit https://try.fender.com/play/playthrough/?utm_source=bouncex&utm_medium=popup&utm_campaign=PlayThrough_BXPopup&utm_term=fender&src=emaill00DTplaypopup/.

Toei anime on YouTube

Japanese animation studio Toei has launched its YouTube channel that streams shows 70 shows with English subtitles for free. National Kid is updated on Mondays while Suki Suki Majo Sensei is updated on Tuesdays. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/user/ToeiAnimationUS.

Ayala Museum online

Continue learning at home with the Ayala Museum’s resources available online. Enjoy previous exhibitions and performances, coloring pages, and playlists. Visit https://www.ayalamuseum.org/online-resources/?fbclid=IwAR2psdA2kvBhhEC-iJs-seLvPXICAZ4zWO-bBIwvxjrhuTm18C_0zyOm3VE.

National Gallery of Victoria virtual tours

The National Gallery of Victoria has developed virtual tours. Audiences can view exhibitions such as Companionship In The Age Of Loneliness for New York-based artist Brian Donnelly, aka KAWS; and the world premiere of Crossing Lines, featuring the works of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat on https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/channel/.

Ballets at the Bolshoi Theatre

The Bolshoi Theatre in Russia showcases The Golden Series of classic opera and ballet performances via livestream on the theater’s YouTube channel. Livestreaming began on April 1 with The Tsar’s Bride. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/user/bolshoi.

Free Murakami books online

Japanese best-selling author Haruki Murakami’s stories are made available online for free at http://www.openculture.com/2014/08/read-five-stories-by-haruki-murakami-free-online.html. Titles include Kino, A Walk to Kobe, and Samsa in Love.

Free books on modern art

Enjoy PDF and ePubs on modern art from the Guggenheim Museum’s archive. The collection includes books by Francis Bacon, Max Ernst, and Mark Rothko. Visit https://archive.org/details/guggenheimmuseum.

Frida Kahlo’s artworks online

View Frida Kahlo’s work online through the Google Arts & Culture platform. The website has 800 paintings, photographs, and objects by the Mexican artist from 33 international museums. To view the exhibition, visit https://artsandculture.google.com/project/frida-kahlo.

Classic Pinoy films online

Director Mike de Leon uploaded classic Filipino films from the 1930s to 1960s on his Vimeo account, Citizen Jake. Titles include Manuel Silos’ Pista sa Nayon (1948), Gregorio Fernandez’s Kung Ako’y Mahal Mo (1960), and Lamberto V. Avellana’s Aklat ng Buhay (1952). Watch films at https://vimeo.com/user83013343.

Ballet and opera free online

The Royal Opera House is showing its performances online through its Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/RoyalOperaHouse) pages.

Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries — Quarantine Edition online

Best-selling author of The Princess Diaries Meg Cabot offers The Princess Diaries — Quarantine Edition for free on her official website. Entries are updated daily. Visit https://www.megcabot.com/2020/03/corona-princess-diaries-day-1/?utm_content=122945851&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-67512624694.

NHCP Documentaries on YouTube

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines makes Philippine history education accessible through documentaries on YouTube. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/historymuseumsPH/posts/997233837339314. Titles include: Jose Rizal: Sa Landas ng Paglaya, Apolinario Mabini: Talino at Paninindigan, Kababaihan ng Rebolusyon, and, Gregoria de Jesus: Lakambini ng Katipunan.

How PSEi member stocks performed — April 24, 2020

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Friday, April 24, 2020.

DoLE tally of workers displaced by quarantine tops 2 million

OVER TWO million employees were displaced during the first five weeks of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on Luzon, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said.

The estimate took in the period from the start of the quarantine to Friday, April 17. The total has doubled from the last estimate issued on April 12, when DoLE tallied 1,048,649 workers affected by the ECQ due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

DoLE said in a statement Sunday: “Reports from DoLE regional offices showed a continued swelling of the number of displaced workers. From 79,271 establishment reports submitted as of April 24, affected workers ballooned further to 2,073,362 nationwide.”

Some 1.4 million of those workers were affected by temporary business closures. Over 687,000 employees were subject to alternative work arrangements such as reduced working days and hours; forced leave; and work-from-home.

Metro Manila accounted for the most number of displaced workers with 687,634. Other regions with the most number of displaced employees during the period were Region 3 (Central Luzon) with 281,278; Region 11 (Davao Region) with 207,789; Region 4-A (CALABARZON) with 158,646; and Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) with 106,162.

Regions with the fewest displaced workers were Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 37,683; Region 1 (Ilocos Region) with 32,017; and Region 12 (Soccsksargen) with 27,643.

DoLE said over 90% of establishments which reported employee displacement have applied for DoLE’s COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP), which provides funding to employers with displaced workers directly to payrolls. The DoLE has closed the CAMP application process on April 15 after funding ran out. — Gillian M. Cortez

Disruption to Internet services during ECQ ‘minimal’ — Rio

By Arjay L. Balinbin
Reporter

THE DISRUPTION to Internet service during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) has been “minimal” with the infrastructure able to handle the huge surge in traffic, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Eliseo M. Rio, Jr. said.

“Wala pa namang major [disruptions]…. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang ating connectivity, walang nag-crash. Of course, may time na mabagal, pero considering na halos lahat tayo ay connected to the Internet, masasabi natin na kaya ng ating infrastructure ngayon this traffic that we are experiencing (No major disruptions have happened. Connectivity remains continuous. Of course, there are episodes when service slows down, but when you consider that most of us are connected to the Internet, we can conclude that our infrastructure can handle the additional traffic)” Mr. Rio told BusinessWorld in a phone interview Saturday.

Mr. Rio added that the telecommunications providers “are… doing their best. While we want better performance, this is a big improvement from what we had two to three years ago.”

“Had this crisis happened two years ago, the infrastructure could not handle this traffic that we are handling now. ‘Yung nagpaganda talaga ng ating infrastructure (What has improved our infrastructure) is the fixed-line (connection) to the Internet because of the telecommuting law,” he added.

He said household subscriptions to fixed-line Internet services have increased because of the telecommuting law, or Republic Act 11165, which President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed in December 2018. The law provides for telecommuting as an alternative work arrangement for employees in the private sector.

“Dati most of us ay naka-connect sa mobile data network for the Internet kaya congested, kulang na kulang ang cell sites natin (Because many of us use mobile to connect, service here has been congested. We lack the cell site capacity),” Mr. Rio noted.

He said the issues faced by Internet service providers during the lockdown period are the blocking of their personnel by local government units (LGUs) and homeowners’ associations in private residential areas.

The DICT reminded LGUs and homeowners associations not to block telco personnel as they are classified as “essential” services.

The department said reports on telecom workers not being allowed to go through checkpoints and denied access to subdivisions are among the issues brought up by the industry with the DICT and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

The NTC has ordered all telecom companies to ensure uninterrupted service during the enhanced community quarantine.

NPC finds confidentiality breaches for 154 subjects during COVID-19 pandemic

THE National Privacy Commission (NPC) said it has documented data breaches involving 154 persons during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including patient names and addresses as well as the disclosure of persons subject to quarantine.

In a statement, the NPC is assessing the data breaches and has asked health providers to fir up their personal data protections.

The regulator said it received 17 notifications relating to the unauthorized disclosure of the personal information of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients.

The data breaches include online posts and messages listing patient names and addresses, an emergency room admission sheet, a photo of a death certificate, and diagnostic results, the NPC said in a mobile message to reporters Saturday.

Other data breaches include the sharing of lists of names of quarantined doctors, passengers of a flight allegedly carrying COVID-19 patients, and employees of a nonprofit organization that have been in recent contact with a COVID-19 patient.

“With a view to preventing similar instances of unauthorized disclosure from happening, we call on health institutions and their Data Protection Officers (DPOs) to strengthen the protection of patient data,” NPC said.

NPC said that patients will only fully disclose information to authorities if they are assured that the information is protected against unauthorized disclosure.

The government requires individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to declare personal information to the health department. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, spokesperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), said such information would enhance contact tracing efforts.

Unauthorized disclosure of patient data is prohibited under the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Privacy Commissioner Raymund E. Liboro said that health institutions must regularly remind staff of their duty to protect data, adding that access to data should be limited to a “need-to-know” basis.

“This means that health personnel are allowed only the minimum and necessary access to enable the performance of their functions.”

Mr. Liboro said health facilities should have data-access controls such as locks and alarms. He said that patient data should only be disclosed with proper authorities, and that health staff should avoid discussing patient information in public areas unless they are providing treatment under compelling circumstances.

Computer displays, he said, should be protected from accidental viewing. Portable storage media such as USB flash drives should be password protected.

He also said that patient data should be encrypted.

“Electronic copies of patient data must be protected to the same extent that physical files and storage media containing patient data are secured. Encrypting patient data both in-transit and at rest ensures that the files are locked and only accessible to authorized persons,” he said.

Mr. Liboro said that health staff should communicate online using secure platforms.

“For further protection, ensure that the documents are encrypted with a password of sufficient strength. The password must be sent via a separate channel like SMS/text. It is likewise advised that apart from setting a strong password, a second-factor authenticator may be used whenever logging into accounts.” — Jenina P. Ibañez

Regulators back proposal to subsidize 50 kWh from poor users’ power bills

A LEGISLATIVE-Executive panel is recommending that marginal power consumers be granted a subsidy equivalent to 50 kilowatt-hours off their electricity bills to help them through the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

The “high-level policy meeting” was conducted by teleconference Friday and included representatives of the Department of Energy (DoE), the Energy regulatory Committee (ERC), and the leadership of the energy committees of the two houses of Congress, according to the media office of Representative Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco of Marinduque, who chairs the House energy committee.

Mr. Velasco, his Senate counterpart Sherwin T. Gatchalian, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, and Energy Regulatory Commission Chairperson Agnes Vicenta S. Torres-Devanadera, among others, reached a consensus on the subsidy while drafting the measures that will make up the government’s action plan for energy issues encountered during and beyond the ECQ. — Genshen L. Espedido

Mr. Velasco said it was necessary to grant he subsidy to the so-called “lifeline consumers” who are typically poor.

Ms. Devanadera said the definition of lifeline consumers varies by electricity cooperative (EC), adding that several ECs have indicated that they will fully subsidize the power bills of such consumers, while others have signalled their willingness to offer partial subsidies or discounts.

The group also backed the DoE’s proposal to allow the manufacturing of 70% alcohol for use as disinfectant from the excess feedstock of bioethanol plants.

During the panel meeting, Mr. Cusi said that the difficulty in implementing maintenance work at power plants “lies in securing necessary supplies and needed spare parts during the lockdown,” and at the same time, ensuring that the system can withstand any unforced outages. — Genshen L. Espedido

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