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PHL airlines extend flight suspensions

A Cebu Pacific passenger jet taxis past a Philippine Airlines passenger jet on the tarmac of Terminal 3 at the Ninoy Aquino International aiport in Pasay city. — REUTERS

THE country’s major airlines on Friday said all domestic and international flights will remain suspended until May 15, after the government extended the lockdown measures in the National Capital Region and key areas around the country.

In separate statements, Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific and Philippines AirAsia said they will not yet resume passenger flights in view of the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) aimed at containing the coronavirus outbreak.

“All domestic and international Cebu Pacific and Cebgo flights remain cancelled from May 1 to 15, 2020. This is in line with the extension of ECQ imposed over much of Luzon, and implementation of general community quarantine (GCQ) over other provinces. Restrictions are also implemented by local governments across the Philippines,” Cebu Pacific said in its statement.

Should the ECQ be lifted by May 15, PAL said it will have a “gradual and calibrated” resumption of operations starting May 16.

“The complete list of flights to be operated once the ECQ is lifted will be released as soon as possible. In the meantime, our domestic sweeper flights and special flights — arranged by several foreign embassies to ferry stranded nationals out of the country — will continue,” PAL said.

The government has extended the ECQ, which was scheduled to end on April 30, by another two weeks in Metro Manila, Central Luzon (Region III), Calabarzon (Region IV-A — Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), as well as other provinces that continue to face high risk of coronavirus disease infections.

Other areas facing low-risk of the coronavirus will be placed under GCQ starting May 1. Under a GCQ, the government said airports and ports can continue to operate but only for goods. — AJA

Coronavirus-related online scams on the rise

By Adam J. Ang

CYBERTHREATS, including malware, phishing attempts and spam messages, related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are on the rise, according to Google.

In a virtual briefing on Friday, Mark Risher, senior director for Account Security, Identity, and Abuse at Google, said new online attacks use COVID-19 messaging, making it easy for scammers to scale these attacks globally.

“Now, they [attackers] know that anywhere around the planet COVID-19 will be recognizable and will stimulate actions from the victims, and so we’re seeing them applied pretty consistently globally, [and] just translated maybe to local markets,” he said.

Google’s machine-learning classifiers have detected about 18 million coronavirus-related malware and phishing attempts, as well as 240 million spam messages every day in the last month.

Mr. Risher noted that the present cyberthreat situation amid the pandemic crisis is “unique,” compared to past public health crisis events, as digital attackers and their victims can be from any part of the globe.

Perpetrators of online scams and malware “may already have a language in which they communicate, like they know that they can mention coronavirus, COVID-19, selling masks or selling hand sanitizers, [as] these are such common terms,” he said.

Google did not identify which countries are prone to such online attacks.

Mr. Risher pointed out “a lot of these coronavirus and COVID-19 attacks began in Southeast Asia.” He said there are more online cyber threats detected earlier in the Asia-Pacific region than in any other area across the world.

Perpetrators are said to use fear and financial incentives to bait people.

The most common form of cyberthreat uses the World Health Organization to solicit fraudulent donations or distribute malware.

Other common types of COVID-19-related scams include posing as government institutions providing information on stimulus packages to lure small businesses; sending links to shady websites selling fakes of in-demand products such as masks and hand sanitizers; and sending notices supposedly from charities, organizations, and even healthcare providers dealing with the coronavirus disease.

“The overall volume of attacks that are facing Google and [its] users has not really changed that much. What we’ve seen instead is a tremendous concentration on using these terms, these agencies as part of the targeting practice,” Mr. Risher said in the briefing.

“The attackers have moved from generic messages to much more targeted, much more precisely crafted attacks,” he added.

Google is protecting its users from such threats through its built-in security features in its products, machine learning models in Gmail which detect and block almost all spam, phishing, and malware, among other mechanisms.

With video-conferencing becoming a common practice for conducting events lately, Mr. Risher stressed that users must ensure they understand the security features that are incorporated into the platforms they are using. Google has its own virtual meeting platform called Google Meet.

“For people who are working from home, we recommend you use official work-issued e-mail accounts at your laptops and the configuration they have given you,” he added.

Banks keep lending standards unchanged in Q1

MOST BANKS kept their lending criteria for businesses and households unchanged in the first quarter, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The latest Senior Bank Loan Officers’ Survey conducted from Feb. 28 to April 7 released on Friday showed this marked the 44th successive quarter of broadly unchanged credit standards from respondent banks.

The survey seeks to gauge banks’ lending decisions. The central bank said 37 out of the 65 banks tapped for the study sent their responses. The survey was conducted among universal, commercial and thrift banks.

More than half (66.7%) of the respondent banks said they maintained their lending criteria for loans to businesses during the first three months of the year, lower than the 84.8% seen the fourth quarter of 2019, based on results of the modal approach.

On the other hand, the diffusion index (DI) approach showed there was a net tightening in overall credit criteria, with banks citing stricter regulations, deterioration of borrowers’ profiles. Respondent banks also noted a deterioration in profitability and liquidity, as well as reduced tolerance for risk.

A positive DI result means more banks tightened lending rules compared with those that eased, while a negative DI indicates the opposite.

The net tightening showed in the DI approach was seen in “reduced credit line sizes, stricter collateral requirements and loan agreements, and the increased use of interest rate floors.”

Meanwhile, 69.6% of banks surveyed said they maintained their credit criteria for household loans in the first quarter, lower than the 89.7% in October to December 2019, based on the modal approach.

However, the DI approach indicated banks’ credit standards were more strict for personal loans as lenders factored in an “uncertain economic outlook and reduced tolerance for risk.”

“The overall net tightening of credit standards for loans to households also reflected stricter collateral requirements and loan covenants as well as increased use of interest rate floors by respondent banks for the said type of loan,” the BSP said.

The net tightening in standards applied to all types of consumer loans, including those related to housing, credit card, auto and personal salary loans.

For this quarter, respondent banks said they expect credit standards for businesses to be steady based on the modal approach, while the DI approach indicates expectations of tighter criteria due to “less favorable economic outlook, expected deterioration in borrowers’ profiles as well as in the profitability and liquidity of banks’ portfolios, and lower tolerance for risk.”

Likewise, banks also see unchanged credit standards for those securing personal loans in the second quarter of the year based on the modal approach, according to the central bank. However, DI-based results showed lenders see net tighter credit standards, with banks expecting a dimmer economic outlook and weakening profitability, as well as reduced risk tolerance. — L.W.T. Noble

BDO books lower net income in Q1

BDO Unibank Inc. saw its net profit decline to P8.8 billion in the first quarter, as weak capital markets hit the bank’s investment portfolio.

The Sy-led lender’s net income fell 10.2% to P8.8 billion in the first three months of the year from the P9.8 billion logged in the same period in 2019, BDO said in a statement on Friday.

“[W]eak capital market conditions impacted on BDO’s investment portfolio and dragged the bottom line,” the bank said.

During the period, the lender’s net interest income totalled P33 billion, which BDO attributed to stable margins.

On the other hand, non-interest income amounted to P9 billion, buoyed by contributions from fee-based income worth P8.1 billion and insurance premiums amounting to P3.9 billion.

“Weak capital market conditions resulted in unrealized mark-to-market (MTM) losses in BDO Life’s equities and unit-linked portfolios, leading to consolidated trading and forex losses,” BDO said.

The bank’s gross operating income settled at P42 billion, down by 1.4% from the P42.6 billion seen in the first quarter of 2019.

Meanwhile, customer loans grew 11% to P2.2 trillion, supported by continued growth across all segments.

“The core lending and deposit-taking businesses sustained their growth despite the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in mid-March,” BDO said.

Operating expenses declined 5.3% to P26.8 billion from P28.3 billion a year ago due to a reduction in volume-related expenses and lower policy reserves related to unit-linked funds.

With its non-performing loan (NPL) ratio remaining stable at 1.3%, BDO’s loan provisions stood at P2.3 billion. Meanwhile, NPL cover was at 151.4%.

“To safeguard asset quality, the bank has undertaken initiatives which include rapid portfolio reviews of clients and sectors highly affected by the impact of the ECQ, as well as reassessment of existing provisioning guidelines,” the bank said.

The bank’s total capital base stood at P372.2 billion. Its capital adequacy ratio was at 13.8%, while common equity tier 1 ratio was at 12.7%, which are both well above regulatory levels and “deemed sufficient to withstand near-term shocks.”

Amid risks to its business environment due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, BDO said its “strong business franchise and solid balance sheet” will help it weather the crisis.

The bank’s shares closed at P100 apiece, unchanged from its Thursday close. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

COVID-19 concerns to fuel rise in insurance demand — Pru Life

INSURANCE POLICIES may see higher demand, with people becoming more health conscious due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to Pru Life UK Philippines.

“I think it may stimulate our complimentary need for protection even more,” Allan M. Tumbaga, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Pru Life, said in an online press briefing on Friday.

Given the current lockdown, buying online has been the trend, which also works for insurance products, he added.

“I think people are now more open to exploring getting insurance by means of digital channels,” Mr. Tumbaga said.

Pru Life UK Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Antonio G. De Rosas said the firm has been gearing up for the “new normal” caused by the outbreak, including equipping their sales agents to offer products digitally.

“We are now living in a new normal where digital is placed upfront. Before we started this [lockdown], our work from home capability was at 30% and now it’s at about 90%,” Mr. De Rosas said.

He noted that they have unveiled online tools for their policy sellers so they can offer products without personal contact, given the new norm of social distancing.

“I expect that, after this [pandemic], the reception will be warmer to get insurance — health or basic protection,” Mr. Tumbaga added.

Amid the health threats due to COVID-19, the insurer offered free COVID-19 protection and personal accident (PA) coverage for the first 500,000 users to register their profile on their app called Pulse from April 13 to May 13. The app, which was launched on February, offers health management features for both policy holders and non-policy holders.

So far, 100,000 app users have already received the free plan, which entitles them to a death benefit of P100,000 to be disbursed to family members in case of COVID-19 or accident-linked death. Meanwhile, health care workers are entitled to a death benefit of P200,000.

Pru Life is the country’s fourth biggest insurer in 2018 based on premium income, with P22.03 billion, according to data from the Insurance Commission. — L.W.T. Noble

Peso weakens as gov’t extends lockdown

THE PESO weakened on Friday as the market opted for safe haven assets after the announcement of the extension of the lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The local unit closed at P50.80 versus the dollar on Friday, depreciating by four centavos from its P50.76 finish on Thursday, according to data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

On the other hand, the local currency strengthened by 10 centavos from its P50.90 close last week.

The peso started the session at P50.68 per dollar. Its weakest showing was at P50.85, while its intraday best was at P50.68 versus the greenback.

Dollars traded climbed to $391.68 million on Friday from the $290 million seen on Thursday.

The extension of the lockdown in the capital as well as in some hot spots triggered risk-off sentiment, according to a trader.

“The peso depreciated from safe-haven demand after the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was officially extended further until May 15,” the trader said in an email.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort also attributed the weakness in the local unit to the said announcement from Malacañang.

“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,” Mr. Ricafort said in a text message.

On Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque announced the interagency task force’s recommendation for another two-week extension of the ECQ was approved by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

The extended lockdown will be observed in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, as well as other provinces to prevent the further spread of the virus.

Some areas in Visayas and Mindanao will also be assessed to see if they need to be locked down as well.

Aside from the lockdown, Mr. Ricafort said the peso also weakened after a slight correction in global oil prices.

Reuters reported that oil prices inched up on Friday after producers including Kuwait decided to cut output and as the United States approved a fiscal package to cope with the pandemic.

Brent crude rose by 24 centavos or 1.1% to $21.57 by 0622 GMT following the uptick of more than $1 earlier and the 5% rise seen on Thursday. US oil also inched up by 38 centavos or 2.3% to $16.88 per barrel, following the 20% surge in the previous session. — LWTN with Reuters

Stocks drop on extension of ECQ

LOCAL SHARES closed the trading week in red territory as investors were cautious due to the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and select regions.

The 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gave up 134.57 points or 2.4% to 5,464.98 on Friday. The broader all shares index also lost 58.08 points or 1.7% to 3,350.73.

“The local market declined as investors expect deeper economic losses following the extension of the ECQ in most parts of Luzon, including our economy’s top 3 regional contributors namely the National Capital Region, IV-A Calabarzon, and Central Luzon,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Senior Research Analyst Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco said in a text message.

In a televised speech Friday morning, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque said the government is extending the ECQ until May 15 for Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Region IV-A — Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) and other provinces covering the whole country.

Specifically, the other areas are Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Albay, Catanduanes, Benguet and Pangasinan for Luzon; Antique, Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Cebu province and Cebu City for Visayas; and Davao del Norte, Davao City and Davao de Oro for Mindanao.

Other locations tagged as low and moderate risk may be downgraded to a general community quarantine after April 30.

The two-week extension of the ECQ — making the set lockdown run a total of two months for these areas — spooked investors.

“From 2014 to 2018, these regions (National Capital Region, Calabarzon and Central Luzon) have been contributing an average of 36.4%, 17.0%, and 9.5% of the Philippine economy,” Mr. Tantiangco said.

“The optimism we saw in the four weeks prior to this one is waning as economic burdens become heavier due to the quarantine period extensions, and ultimately due to the coronavirus,” he added.

Aside from the extended ECQ, Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said investors also took note of reports that the antiviral drug being developed by United States-based Gilead Sciences, Inc. to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has flopped.

“Shares ended lower…amid reports globally that suggested that a closely followed experimental drug intended to be used to treat coronavirus delivered disappointing results in an ‘inconclusive’ trial,” Mr. Limlingan said in a mobile message.

Five of six sectoral indices closed lower at the end of trading. Property dropped 124.13 points or 4.37% to 2,715.46; holding firms shed 180.14 points or 3.25% to 5,361.78; industrials shaved off 57.59 points or 0.79% to 7,209.48; financials cut 6.44 points or 0.53% to 1,188.69; and mining and oil slid 16.99 points or 0.36% to 4,592.45.

The only sector that gained was services, which added 2.26 points or 0.17% to 1,300.57.

Value turnover improved to P5.24 billion on Friday from P4.37 billion on Thursday. Total volume also increased to 829.26 million from 697.1 million issues.

Decliners beat advancers, 105 against 76, while 48 names ended unchanged.

Net foreign selling swelled to P1.02 billion from P440.43 million the previous session.

“Foreign transactions are already on a 28-day net selling streak averaging P907 million worth of outflows per day,” Philstocks Financial’s Mr. Tantiangco noted. — Denise A. Valdez

New normal: What to expect in a post COVID-19 society

By Michaela Tangan and Hannah Mallorca
Features Writer, The Philippine STAR

Illustration by Tone Dañas

“Can we still live the lives we left behind?”

As the world awaits for COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) developments to unfold, we grapple for answers. What we know for certain is that we have to change our behaviors and live with the new norms.

In the Philippines, Sen. Manny Pacquiao is pushing for a New Normal Law that will establish social distancing and health and hygiene protocols.

Earlier in March, he also filed the Anti-Spitting Act of 2020, which seeks to ban and penalize spitting, coughing and sneezing in public.

Meanwhile, Dr. Edsel Salvana, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the National Institutes of Health – University of the Philippines Manila, stresses the importance of precautionary measures after the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

“If the ECQ is going to be modified, it needs to be modified slowly and allow for the data to catch up so we know what is truly going on. Social distancing and universal mask wearing need to continue. Schools should remain closed,” he said.

We gather some new norms that we may expect post-ECQ:

THEN NOW

Greeting and physical distancing

Common types of physical contact done in public include handshakes, beso-beso (cheek-to-cheek), mano (hand blessing), hugging and kissing.

 

To avoid physical contact, other forms of greeting such as nodding, waving hands, bumping elbows, tapping feet or gesturing the Namaste hand prayer are introduced as new alternatives.

Before the pandemic, physical distancing was barely observed, particularly in public transportation vehicles and informal settlements.

Once restrictions are eased, maintaining two-meter distance, especially in public places, will have to remain in place to avoid the resurgence of cases. The housing sector leaders must look into the improvement of housing conditions in the country.

Food and retail

Shoppers may freely visit restaurants, groceries and other retail stores anytime within the typical 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. operating hours.

To cease possible reescalation of COVID-19 cases, law enforcers as well as business owners may consider continuation or implementation of a more well-organized window hours for running errands.

 

e-commerce and online shopping should also be improved given the expected change in consumer behavior.

Health care

Prior to COVID-19, most patient consultations were conducted by visiting doctors’ clinics and hospitals’ outpatient or specialty departments.

Since those with pre-existing conditions are vulnerable to the COVID-19, hospitals and clinics are ramping up their digital consultation platforms to attend to patients, especially for follow-up checkups and non-urgent cases.

Observing healthy lifestyle and proper hygiene were advised prior to the emergence of COVID-19, but were overlooked.

Due to the deadly pandemic, individuals have become more aware of the importance of having a healthy lifestyle and proper hygiene such as eating balanced meals, exercising, handwashing for 20 seconds, and coughing and sneezing into the elbow, tissue or face mask, among others.

 

It will be mandatory to sanitize hands and check temperature before boarding public vehicles or entering public places.

Healthcare facilities were undermanned and inadequately equipped with medical resources. Areas outside Metro Manila and key cities face difficulty in infrastructure building, human resources and distribution of other needs.

Effective mechanisms should be in place to address health inequities and health system insufficiencies. The World Economic Forum suggests that protective equipment be in place and intensive care beds on standby in hospitals.

Religion

Masses and Sunday services play a huge role in our culture where people flock to churches and other places of worship. Bible studies, youth ministries and other activities related to religion are also held.

Church leaders, priests, pastors and other religious groups hold online Masses and worship services. Some Christian churches post highlights of Sunday preachings in social media as well.

Education

Many schools in the Philippines begin the academic year in June.

The Department of Education (DepEd) is leaning towards opening the next school year in August, and is considering Saturday classes — depending on the recommendation of the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Diseases and President Rodrigo Duterte.

Classes and school activities are conducted face-to-face within the walls of educational institutions.

As soon as lockdowns were imposed and schools closed, learning was taken into a different platform: online. Teachers have to come up with creative ways to engage students. Class enrolment and other school activities are accomplished using online applications.

Some board exams are scheduled during March and April.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced the cancellation of board exams for March and April.

In the Philippines, graduation season is held from March to April.

On April 20, the DepEd said it is considering to approve schools’ request to hold online graduation rites.

Work

White-collared workers were required to report for work in an office space. Meetings were also conducted face-to-face.

Post-coronavirus, workers will have to get used to working remotely. Managers and employees will have to learn how to run effective virtual meetings and utilize available resources.

While various industries utilize data management in day-to-day operations, they continue to explore the best practices to keep up with the growing volume of data available.

Stakeholders will have to conscientiously invest in people’s data management skills as well as proper infrastructure to take advantage of big data. This will enable the country to improve its efficiency in decision-making, especially during critical times.

Science and research

Pre-COVID-19 outbreak, there was an increase in wildlife exploitation. A study conducted at University of California suggests that the spillover of viruses from animals to humans are linked to wildlife exploitation.

To stop the animal-human transmission of viruses, law enforcers, advocates, doctors, veterinarians, ecologists and other scientists, including communities, must collaborate to stop illegal wildlife trade, survey animal diseases, and study prevention and risk of possible outbreak.

The few laboratories capable of detecting the disease had limited proper equipment and personnel to conduct the needed tests.

 

Since demand for tests could balloon if lockdowns are lifted without a methodical plan, stakeholders must continuously invest in proper clinical management and infection control as well as wide availability of testing capability in various health-care settings.

Entertainment

Sports events, concerts, meet-and-greet events and parties are common forms of entertainment, where social distancing couldn’t be seen.

Sports organizations, musical institutions, singers and bands will continue holding virtual events for audiences worldwide.

Economy and policy making

The Philippine economy was in a boom prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The government focused its funding on infrastructure development.

 

 

The government is prioritizing food security and health care of vulnerable sectors, as well as the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which make up the bulk of businesses in the country.

 

Policy makers are fixing holes in the current healthcare system, implementing aggressive strategies as the economy reopens, and creating sustainable policies to increase global health crisis preparedness.

Despite the growing number of recoveries and medical discoveries — and until we find the vaccine — the battle against COVID-19 is far from over. But it doesn’t mean that we have to stop ourselves from moving forward. By accepting proper habits and health-conscious norms, we can halt present and future pandemics.

Globe extends support to military frontliners manning command centers, checkpoints in Luzon

To keep security forces manning key military installations in Greater Metro Manila connected and updated with the AFP Chain of Command, Globe has extended its support by providing much needed gadgets, equipment and technology to the frontliners in uniform.

Globe has provided military frontliners in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with Cellular Signal Boosters, mobile phones with load credits and Globe at Home Prepaid WiiFi devices in their offices, communication trucks and vans and checkpoint stations deployed all over Luzon.

Globe hopes the support will make the exchange of guidance, information and communications between the different uniformed services–Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force–of the Armed Forces of the Philippines faster, reliable and accessible during the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) as a part of the government’s strategic campaign to stop the pandemic from further spreading in other parts of the country.

Globe Security Team turnover of Celfis and Femtocell Signal Boosters to Phil Navy received by Capt Salvador Sambalilo to be used for our military frontliners.

“Aside from sending day-to-day instructions to its different joint commands like the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) and Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM), our military frontliners also play a major role in implementing the ECQ by manning checkpoints in major thoroughfares in Metro Mania and all over Luzon. They are also expected to maintain high alert status against possible criminal syndicates or terrorist groups that might exploit the current situation. We need to help ensure that their communication lines remain open and working at all times,” Melvin Santos, Globe Corporate & Legal Services Group’s Division Head for Access and Regulation, said.

For his part, Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy, acknowledged the support given by the company.

“The Philippine Navy is grateful for the assistance received from Globe Telecommunication, Inc. in enhancing the Philippine Navy’s communication requirements as it helps the government mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This donation will ensure an improved communication connectivity among fleet-marine teams deployed to the different quarantine control points,” Bacordo added.

– Among the units that has received support from Globe include:

– The Philippine Navy Headquarters in Roxas Boulevard, Manila

– The Presidential Security Group in Malacanang Complex

– Army Signal Regiment in Ft. Bonifacio, Taguig City

– Philippine Navy Bonifacio Naval Station, Ft. Bonifacio

– AFP Communications Van stationed in SLEX, Cavitex

– Philippine Navy Frontline Support deployed at the Marikina Sports Complex Quarantine Facility

– Army station deployed at Marcos Highway in Marikina

Globe is also looking at the possibility of extending the assistance to boost the signal of more AFP units deployed in other parts of Luzon.

Globe has been providing fast, reliable and accessible internet access to various hospitals all over Metro-Manila and Luzon, including several government designated quarantine areas, supermarkets, NAIA terminals and in other key areas to keep people from being connected with their loved ones and be updated of all government efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Media prod agency Near Creative to hold webinars on COVID-19 marketing practices

Near Creative, a media production agency, will be holding a free webinar series entitled “Marketing in the time of COVID-19”, which will revolve around best marketing practices during this current pandemic. According to Roxi Biribicchi, the company’s co-founder, the goal is to provide a localized perspective for Filipino marketers navigating the shifting needs of the current crisis.

“I’ve been looking online for resources to help during this time, but none of them were truly relevant and contextual to the situation in the Philippines,” she said. “So we’ve invited experts from different backgrounds to share their thoughts on the situation in hopes that they provide some guidance in a time that is challenging for us all.”

Details on its three sessions are as follows:

How to Adapt: The Coronavirus Forces Brands to Innovate

  • Schedule: May 6, 4:30-5:30 PM
  • Description: How businesses and brands can innovate digitally to survive and stay relevant
  • Speakers: Walter Wong, Head of Marketing & Co-founder, Angkas; Shahab Shabibi, CEO, MyKuya; Dann De Guzman, CEO, CloudSwyft

Recovery Plan: How to Prepare For a Post COVID-19 World

  • Schedule: May 7, 4:30-5:30 PM
  • Description: What businesses and brands should expect post COVID-19 and how they can prepare
  • Speakers: Carlo Asuncion, Chief Economist, Unionbank; Paul Rivera, CEO, Kalibrr; Paula Queaño, Managing Director, Haptic PR

Staying Sensitive: How to Communicate During COVID-19

  • Schedule: May 8, 4:30-5:30 PM
  • Description: Communication strategies
  • Speakers: Sam Jeanblanc, Market Lead, Google Philippines; Aika Lim, Managing Director, Bridges PR; Camille Co, Content Creator & Entrepreneur

Those interested in participating in any of these webinars can find out more on the Near Creative website.

Here are the top food items Filipinos ask for on MyKuya

With communities across the capital region under lockdown, self-styled super app MyKuya saw a significant spike in demand for their on-demand services.

Through MyKuya’s platform, workers (called Kuyas and Ates) can offer their services for a variety of tasks, ranging from buying groceries, to standing in line to pay bills for you, or delivering or picking something up on a motorbike.

But what exactly are MyKuya’s users asking for? According to the firm’s most recent findings, the answer is, unsurprisingly, food. Here’s how that breaks down:

“Since the lockdown started, we’ve seen more people signing up to be users on the app,” said MyKuya founder Shahab Shabibi. “Naturally, this means we’ve also been able to hire more Kuyas and Ates to be a part of our team as well. It’s actually during the enhanced community quarantine that we’ve seen our numbers swell up more than ever before. During the enhanced community quarantine period alone, over 2,000 have already gotten their MyKuya accounts activated and nearly 7,000 onboarded.”

Currently, the company serves the entire Metro Manila, with some areas in the wider Mega Manila area also starting to receive some support.

Duterte extends ECQ in NCR, other provinces

(2ND UPDATE) The government is extending until May 15 the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the Philippine capital and nearby regions in order to further contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

At the same time, some “low and moderate-risk” areas will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) starting May 1.

In a taped address aired on Friday morning, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque said President Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved the task force’s recommendation for a two-week extension of the ECQ in Metro Manila, Central Luzon (Region III), Calabarzon (Region IV-A – Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) and other provinces that continue to face high risk of COVID-19 infections.

“Panatilihin po ang ECQ sa NCR, Region III, Region IV-A and all other areas kung saan mataas pa po ang banta ng COVID-19 hanggang Mayo 15. Magkakaroon po ng re-evaluation pagdating ng May 16 (The ECQ will be kept in NCR, Region III, Region IV-A and all other areas where there is high risk of COVID-19 until May 15. There will be an re-evaluation when May 16 comes),” he said.

Upon the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), Mr. Roque said the following areas will remain under ECQ: Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Albay, Catanduanes, Benguet and Pangasinan.

For Visayas and Mindanao, the lockdown will continue in Antique, Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Cebu province, Cebu City, Davao del Norte, Davao City and Davao de Oro.

In the Visayas, the IATF considered the island of Panay (Antique, Iloilo, Aklan and Capiz), Cebu province and Cebu City subject to ECQ, subject to further evaluation. In Mindanao, Davao del Norte and Davao City are considered high-risk, while Davao de Oro (formerly Compostela Valley) is subject to ECQ and subject to recheck.

For Tarlac, Pangasinan, Benguet, Zambales, Antique, Iloilo, Cebu, Cebu City and Davao de Oro, the ECQ may be reevaluated and can still be downgraded to a general community quarantine (GCQ) by month-end.

Mr. Roque said all other provinces identified as “low-risk” and “moderate risk” and not part of the extended ECQ will be placed under GCQ starting May 1.

“Ang lahat po ng probinsya na hindi kasama dito sa mananatili ang ECQ ay mapapasailalim po sa ‘new normal’ na tinatawag na (All provinces not part of the extension of the ECQ will be under the ‘new normal’ that is called the) general community quarantine),” Mr. Roque said.

‘NEW NORMAL’

The Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Public Works and Highways are preparing the set of minimum health standards to be implemented as part of the on-going lockdown.

Mr. Roque said the IATF-EID’s recommended guidelines for the GCQ are being finalized and will be out next week.

For areas under the GCQ, the IATF proposed that those employed by companies in “sectors I, II and III” will be allowed to go work in phases.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. A–o said companies under Sector I, which includes agriculture, fisheries, forestry, food manufacturing including all supply chains such as packaging and raw materials, supermarkets, restaurants (for takeout and delivery), hospitals, logistics, water, energy, Internet, telecommunications, and media, can resume 100% of operations.

Sector II covers firms allowed to operate at 50-100% capacity, such as “manufacturing of electronics and exports, e-commerce and delivery for essential and non-essential items, repair and maintenance services, housing, and office services.”

Companies under Sector III can have 50% staff on-site and 50% working from home, such as financial services, business process outsourcing, other non-leisure wholesale and retail trade, and other non-leisure services.

However, Mr. Roque said those under Sector IV should remain closed during the GCQ. These sector includes companies involved in amusement and gaming, fitness, and tourism. Mass gatherings such as religious services and conferences will continue to be disallowed.

The IATF-EID also recommended that those aged 0-20 and those 60 years old and above to continue to stay at home, as well as those with high health risk.

Local government units should still enforce a night curfew.

In the areas under the GCQ, Mr. Roque said non-leisure shops in malls may be opened, but only a limited number of people aged between 21 to 59 with masks and ID can enter.

Public transportation may operate at reduced capacity.

Airports and ports can also continue to operate but only for goods.

Priority and essential construction projects will also be allowed to resume under the GCQ.

“For GCQ areas, iko-consider po ang reprioritizing ng SAP (we will consider reprioritizing the Social Amelioration Program) cash subsidy towards ECQ areas,” Mr. Roque said.

The lockdown in Luzon, which accounts for 70% of the Philippine economy, began in mid-March. It was originally scheduled to end on April 12 but was extended to April 30.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Health department reported total deaths due to COVID-19 reached 462, while infections stood at 6,981. Total recoveries are now at 722. — Gillian M. Cortez

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