Infrastructure spending falls 4.3% in first half after lockdown construction freeze

August 14, 2020 | 6:09 pm

GOVERNMENT spending on infrastructure fell 4.3% year-on-year in the first half due to the suspension of construction during the lockdown, which was not offset by catch-up activity when restrictions were lifted in June, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.

The DBM tallied infrastructure and other capital outlays of P297.9 billion in the first half, which nevertheless beat the downward-revised P279.4-billion target set when economic managers reduced growth projections for the year.

The DBM said the decline was largely due to the suspension of works during the enhanced community quarantine between mid-March to May, which are peak construction months before the rainy season sets in.

In June, infrastructure spending rose 44.5% year-on-year to P62.8 billion.

The DBM attributed the higher spending that month to construction, maintenance, upgrading, widening, repair and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, and flood control structures by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

It said capital outlays for the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and payment of claims also contributed to the increased spending.

“It may be noted, however, that the infrastructure program for the period was lower when compared to the previous estimates prior the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic due to the temporary stoppage and delays in construction activities due to the various health quarantines imposed and minimum health protocols implemented in various communities,” it said.

In the second quarter, infrastructure spending was P141.9 billion, down 9.1% compared with the first quarter, when the lockdown started, affecting only late March. Year-on-year, the second quarter total was up 6.5%, coming off a low base.

Overall government spending, especially on infrastructure, was dampened in the first half of 2019 as the late passage of the budget that year delayed the implementation of new programs and projects.

The DBM said infrastructure spending, in general, was “muted”due to the suspension of construction and the productivity penalties imposed by health protocols when work resumed.

It said it expects the continued implementation of infrastructure projects of government agencies, along with other state expenditures, to “contribute to a faster economic recovery for the rest of the year.”

This year’s infrastructure spending program was trimmed for a third time last month, to P785.5 billion.

Overall spending for the year was increased to P4.335 trillion from P4.1 trillion originally to account for pandemic expenses and programs intended to pump-prime the economy.

The economy was in recession after posting two straight quarters of contractions, -0.7% in the first three months followed by a record -16.5% in the second quarter. First-half gross domestic product (GDP) growth was -9%.

The government is projecting a 2020 GDP contraction of between 4.5% and 6.6% due to the pandemic. – Beatrice M. Laforga

Bello rejects rumors of end to nurse deployment ban

August 14, 2020 | 6:08 pm

The deployment ban on health care workers remains in place, contrary to reports that the ban has been lifted, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said Friday.

“The ban imposed on the deployment of nurses stays,” Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said in a statement.

Reports that the government has lifted restrictions on sending health care workers overseas are “totally untrue,” Mr. Bello said.

The ban was implemented via Governing Board Resolution No. 9, adopted by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) in April.

This follows an Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) ruling ordering that the government seek to ensure the adequacy of health care worker numbers as the country grapples with the pandemic.

“The public is hereby warned that any overseas deployment of nurses, unless express authorized by the POEA, is deemed illegal,” he said.

Also covered by the ban are microbiologists, molecular biologists, medical technologists, clinical analysts, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, laboratory and X-ray technicians, nursing aides, medical equipment operators, health supervisors and hospital equipment repair personnel.

The POEA also suspended negotiations for government-to-government deployment of health workers. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

BIR sets 2024-2026 target for online-transaction tax system

August 14, 2020 | 6:06 pm

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said it hopes to establish a dedicated platform for taxing online transactions by 2026 at the latest as part of its 10-year digitalization road map.

The plans are contained in Revenue Memorandum Order No. 27-2020, which also contains a broader plan to expedite many taxation processes and improve the taxpayer experience.
Forming the second phase of the two-part road map, the BIR said hopes to set up the platform for the taxation of digital transactions sometime between 2024 and 2026.

By 2027-2030, the bureau aims to establish a “data-driven collection, audit and enforcement” system, as well as to offer “customized TP (transfer pricing) services.”

“The BIR is tasked to consistently achieve increasing revenue targets to meet equally increasing demands. Hence, BIR needs to improve further its existing capabilities, policies, processes, and systems through digital transformation,” according to the MO, a copy of which was posted Thursday.

The bureau said the road map follows Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III order to “completely modernize tax administration” and streamline services.

The Department of Finance and the BIR are currently studying how the bureau can capture the 12% value-added tax (VAT) from digital transactions.

Government estimates show VAT collected from the sales conducted online could raise up to P17 billion in fresh revenue.

So far, 3,254 online sellers have registered with the BIR since the bureau issued a circular in June that made registration mandatory. Around 3,148 were individual vendors while 106 were corporations.

BIR Deputy Commissioner for Operations Arnel SD. Guballa said prior to June, the bureau’s data on online sellers was disorganized since there was no designated database for the growing segment.

“Now, the BIR will assign a specific industry code for monitoring compliance in filing and payment,” Mr. Guballa said last month.

Online vendors have until the end of August to register or update their registration without penalties.

The first phase of the digital road map timeline runs from 2020 to 2023, representing initial moves to build a digital culture within the bureau en route to streamlining its services.

This phase hopes to improve the taxpayer experience at the regional office level and through the use of digital registration, filing and payment methods, penciled in for 2020-2021. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Peso strengthens on return of risk-on sentiment

August 14, 2020 | 5:58 pm

The peso rallied Friday on improved investor risk appetite following a decline in US jobless data.

The peso closed at P48.765 against the dollar Friday after its Thursday finish of P48.84 finish on Thursday, according to data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

Week-on-week, the peso rallied from its P49.041 close on Aug. 7.

The peso started trading at P48.83. The low was P48.85 while the high was P48.75.

Dollar volume fell to $599.65 million from P632.1 million Thursday.

Risk appetite improved after recent gains in US markets, though Wall Street closed mixed Thursday following a reduction in jobless claims, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.

“The peso closed stronger amid continued weakness in the dollar after improved global market risk appetite that sent most US stock markets to 5.5 month highs,” he said in a text message.

Meanwhile, a trader said dollar demand waned in anticipation of a weak performance by the US retail industry.

“The peso appreciated due to expectations of weaker US retail sales for July 2020 amid the re-imposition of lockdown measures in several US states,” he said in an e-mail.

In June, US retail sales rose 7.5% after consumption was propped up by US unemployment benefits, according to Reuters. The July data will be released Friday. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

Rural banks adequately capitalized for pandemic shock — BSP

August 14, 2020 | 5:39 pm

RURAL banks are sufficiently capitalized to weather the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said.

Mr. Diokno said stress tests and simulations suggest that the rural banking industry can withstand scenarios where they have to write off three months’ worth of interest income on all loans and all fees and commissions.

“This is expected as banks recording high pre-shock capital adequacy ratios. This enabled rural and cooperative banks to yield above-10% minimum capital adequacy ratios after the simulation,” Mr. Diokno said in an online briefing Thursday.

Mr. Diokno also said other scenarios that assumed a 5% to 20% reduction in net interest income over the three months of quarantine left them with healthy capital adequacy metrics.

“The results of this test show that post-shock, capital adequacy ratio of the rural and operative dynamics remain comfortably above 15% over the first, second and third month periods of the quarantine even under a 20% reduction in net interest income,” he said.

As a group, rural and cooperative banks have a capital adequacy ratio of 19.79%, well above the 10% regulatory minimum.

The gross non-performing loan ratio of the rural and cooperative banking industry was at 11.21% at the end of March, down from the year-earlier 11.65%.

The central bank has implemented regulatory relief measures for banks, including the classification of loans to small businesses as reserves, to help them comply with reserve standards while ensuring funding for businesses remains available.

The BSP said smaller lenders have been availing of such relief measures, with 66 rural and cooperative banks lending P1.5 billion as of the week ending July 23, compared to the P1 billion by 39 banks during the week ending April 30.

Meanwhile, 10 rural and cooperative banks registered P100 million worth of loans to large enterprises as reserve compliance.

“Preliminary data show that rural and cooperative banks were at 674 as of December 2009 and are now down to 444 as of end-July 2020,” he said, noting smaller lenders were either closed or absorbed by healthier banks. The industry contraction reflects a process of consolidation encouraged by the BSP. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

PSEi declines on profit-taking, ending 4-day winning streak

August 14, 2020 | 5:33 pm

SHARE prices closed lower on profit-taking, interrupting a four day rally that had been buoyed by positive sentiment about upcoming vaccines for coronavirus, including the first government-approved one from Russia.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) fell 20.87 points or 0.34% to 6,076.91 while the broader all-shares index rose 4.45 points or 0.12% to 3,596.19.

In a mobile phone message, Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Associate Claire T. Alviar said the market has been feeding off the positive sentiment generated by Russia’s announcement of a vaccine for COVID-19.

“(With) COVID-19 cases mounting, uncertainty remains, triggering investors to take profit for now,” Ms. Alviar said.

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia was the first country to approve a vaccine against COVID-19, named Sputnik V.

The President’s Spokesman Herminio L. Roque said Thursday that the Philippines and Russia plan to conduct phase 3 clinical trials of the vaccine between October and March, with approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) projected by April 2021.

Timson Securities, Inc. Head of Online Trading and Trader Darren Blaine T. Pangan said Friday’s market result also represented profit-taking ahead of a meeting between US and China trade officials.

“The market ended with a slight loss as investors also felt uncertain about the US stimulus plans,” Mr. Pangan said in a mobile phone message.

On Saturday, the two countries will discuss the “phase one” trade deal signed earlier this year, which provided a respite to their trade war. Part of the deal between the two countries was China’s commitment to purchase an additional $200 billion in US goods and services.

Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said the trade tensions had kept investors at bay.

“China hopes that the US will create conditions for implementation of the Phase 1 trade deal,” Mr. Limlingan said in a mobile phone message.

Most of the sectoral indices improved on Friday except for holding firms which declined 43.08 points or 0.68% to 6,245.02 and services, which retreated 14.26 points or 0.98% to 1,439.73.

Mining and oil rose 99.02 points or 1.71% to 5,869.24; industrials were up 11.94 points or 0.15% at 7,956.09; financials gained 5.45 points or 0.47% to 1,161.92; and property increased 1.06 points or 0.03% to 2,945.49.

Decliners outnumbered advancers 97 to 88, while 56 ended unchanged.

Trading value was P9.46 billion with 6.80 billion shares changing hands, against Thursday’s P17.15 billion on volume of 1.35 billion shares.

Net foreign selling amounted to P516.25 million, against P3.74 billion Thursday.

“The market managed to end the week above the 6,000 area, but we’ll have to see next week if the index stabilizes above this level,” Timson’s Mr. Pangan said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Tech competition for women returns to the Philippines

August 14, 2020 | 4:34 pm

She Loves Tech, a competition for women and technology is returning to the Philippines through its partnership with QBO Innovation Hub.

Scheduled for October, the global competition—and accompanying conference—has expanded its reach over the last five years. Alumni startups have gone on to raise over US$100 million in aggregate funding from some of the world’s top investors, including Sequoia Capital, Vertex Ventures, Wavemaker, Microsoft, and Amazon.

Due to the pandemic, the sixth edition of the competition will be held virtually in over 30 countries across North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. “One of the things we’re most excited about is that going fully online gives us a great opportunity to reach a wider audience and help even more entrepreneurs than we ever could have,” says Rhea See, co-founder of She Loves Tech.

Winning the local edition of She Loves Tech in 2019 inspired Vesl, a platform for SMEs that provides per invoice-based insurance, “to keep aiming for scalable impact,” said Maureen Nova Ledesma, Vesl’s co-founder.

The winner of the local round will get to pitch their idea on a global stage. The global winner will receive an equity-free cash prize of $15,000 from She Loves Tech affiliate fund, Teja Ventures; media and mentorship prizes; fast-track access to partner funds and accelerator programs; and in-house advisory services.

“QBO has been growing our efforts to develop the participation of female founders in the tech startup ecosystem… and She Loves Tech has been a key partner,” said Katrina Rausa Chan, director of QBO Innovation Hub. “I’m looking forward to what this year’s participants will bring to the now-virtual stage.”

Applications will be accepted until Sept. 4 at www.shelovestech.org.

Remaining productive while staying at home

August 14, 2020 | 3:40 pm

We must have felt some sort of boredom when the COVID-19 pandemic started keeping us in our homes. Even if we still get to do our work from home, there might have been times when we can not quickly figure out how we will spend our spare time.

This is likely the reason why many have tried new hobbies as well as new means of doing things. With the help of technology, we still get to do more, right at the comfort of our home and within the reach of our fingertips —purchasing items, learning new skills, doing transactions, and so much more.

Run errands efficiently

Stocking up the pantry can be done without having to go to the supermarket. Through online delivery services, you can pick up fresh selections while avoiding long queues. You can also reduce exposure from your transaction through cashless payments using credit cards, debit cards, or electronic wallets (e-wallets). Security Bank Mastercard debit and credit cards can help you shop and pay online with ease. You can apply for a card online and choose the card that suits your lifestyle through this link www.securitybank.com/personal/credit-cards.

There are still bills to pay, even if the payments have somehow been eased because of the quarantine. Now is a fitting time to make such payments easierby scheduling recurring payments using your Security Bank Mastercard debit and credit cards subscriptions.You can also pay bills with Security Bank Online via their website or mobile app. Learn more about transacting on Security Bank Online here www.securitybank.com/blog/how-to-pay-bills-via-security-bank-online/.

Security Bank has also introduced a new service that allows its clients to enjoy a simpler way of managing their purchases. The new service, called “SimplyPay”, lets the bank’s credit card holders perform direct deposit transactions to any local bank account using their credit card. The Bank’s customers may now conveniently pay for purchases that don’t normally offer credit card payment options such as, but not limited to, rent, professional fees, insurance payments and school tuition among others. Visit www.securitybank.com/SimplyPay to learn more.

Keep in touch with family and friends

Staying at home does not stop anyone from celebrating their birthday, anniversary, or any other occasion. Families or friends can celebrate virtually and still feast on the same meals together. Whether you buy from your favorite restaurant or support the food business of your neighborhood chef or baker, you can make payment to their bank accounts or e-wallets such as GCash, Paymaya and GrabPay via InstaPay, using your Security Bank Mobile App. Learn more about what you can do with Instapay, click through this link https://www.securitybank.com/online-banking/instapay/.

Sending money to your loved ones anywhere in the country can also be easily done at home. With Security Bank’s eGiveCash, you can give to your loved ones even if they do not have bank accounts.eGiveCashalso enables you to send to your own mobile number, and receivers can get the money you sent from over hundreds of eGiveCash-enabled ATMs. Know more about eGiveCash through this link https://www.securitybank.com/personal/egive-cash/.

Save up for the future

The pandemic has made it more important to prepare for the unexpected. Instead of scrambling for funds when the need arises, setting up and maintaining an emergency fund makes one financially prepared for unprecedented situations such as sudden loss of income or health emergencies.

If you don’t have an emergency fund yet, now is the best time to start.Look for a high interest-earning savings account that does not tie your money to a term when you need to use it. Security Bank offers its eSecure Savings (eSS) to its existing deposit clients. Made available on Security Bank Online, eSS allows you to earn interest up to 12% higher than regular deposit accounts. You can also schedule recurring payments and deposits and open up to 10 savings accounts with eSS. Click here to learn more www.securitybank.com/personal/accounts/high-interest/esecure-online-savings.

Aside from equipping yourself with an emergency fund, you can also sign up for a FREE life insurance. Both can be availed when you open a Security Bank AllAccess account. The free life insurance gives you coverage of up to Php 3 million, with no medical exams required. You can open an AllAccess account online via Skype Video Calland start building your emergency fund. Start an AllAccessAccount through Skype by clicking here www.securitybank.com/account-opening-vc/.

Security Bank is with every Filipino in striving to overcome this pandemic, as the nation adjusts to the new normal. The bank believes that by working together, this situation can get better. For more information on how Security Bank is helping Filipinos get better, you may visit www.securitybank.com/Get-better.

TV5 lineup changes on Saturday as new shows debut

August 14, 2020 | 3:24 pm

News and sports make way for game shows, talent and talk shows

TV5 will be reintroducing entertainment programs to the network after several years of not producing any and relying on sports and news programs. But instead of producing shows in-house, the local network has opted to buy shows from producers such as APT Entertainment and sister pay-TV network Cignal with the lineup (a first of many waves, according to a network executive) focusing on game and talk shows.

Starting Aug. 15, TV5 will air two game shows back-to-back. Bawal na Game Show, hosted by comedians Wally Bayola and Paolo Ballesteros, is a game show that revolves around following restrictions (i.e., don’t move, don’t laugh) in order to win up to P100,000. The other is Fill in the Bank, a show that has P150,000 up for grabs and will be hosted by Jose Manalo and Pokwang.

The two shows will air three times a week after Aug. 15. Bawal na Game Show will run every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., while Fill in the Bank will run every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, also at 7:30 p.m. For its pilot show on Aug. 15, Bawal na Game Show and Fill in the Bank will air consecutively from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Meanwhile, the talent show Bangon Talentadong Pinoy is returning to the network six years after it finished its run. The show, which showcases Filipino talents, will have a total cash prize pool of P2.8 million. Bangon Talentadong Pinoy will be hosted by Ryan Agoncillo and will air every Saturday starting Aug. 15 at 8 p.m.

Usapang Real Life, hosted by Luchi Cruz-Valdes, is a talk show about “issues that she has never talked about” and will include “various narratives and inspiring case studies that aim to inspire, engage, and move viewers into action,” according to a press release. The show’s celebrity guests will include newscaster Karen Davila, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, and actress KC Concepcion. The show will air every Saturday at 9 p.m.

Actress Jessy Mendiola will be hosting the lifestyle show, Fit for Life, which focuses on how to be healthy despite the pandemic and will show how to prepare healthy dishes, exercises, and discussions. The show will air every Sunday starting Aug. 16, at 7 a.m.

Finally there is the morning show Chika, BESH (Basta Everyday Super Happy) which will be hosted by Pokwang, Pauleen Luna-Sotto, and Ria Atayde. The show will focus on positive stories and the needs and issues “concerning women of all ages and walks of life,” according to the release. The show will air Mondays to Fridays at 10 a.m. starting Aug. 17. — ZBC

Social & economic benefits of casinos – Is this the way forward for the Philippines?

August 14, 2020 | 2:07 pm

The casino industry has sparked a very productive public debate in the Philippines. As more and more casinos spring up around the island country, the discussion around them also increases.

What is more, people finally seem to understand the social and economic benefits that come with casinos, something that wasn’t the case in the past. This is especially true when the casinos that open are reputable gambling venues.

The benefits of legal online gambling

You don’t have to look far to see that the benefits from gambling at reliable establishments far outweigh the drawbacks. The online gambling industry in the Philippines is a perfect example of this.

Wagering at legal online casinos such as the ones listed in this summary by www.bestcasinosites.net comes with literally zero drawbacks. Players’ deposits are safe, games are fair, and the gambling experience is top-notch.

And that’s only from players’ viewpoint. If you look at the online casino sector from a social and economic standpoint, you will notice that the advantages of new casinos are even stronger.

This is because the online casino industry opens new jobs in the sector. More jobs mean more legal money in the economy. Similarly, when wagering at a legal online casino, crime is never an issue. The gambling site cannot defraud you of your money as it would have to answer to the national casino regulator if it does.

An even more important social benefit of legitimate casinos is that the risk for developing a gambling problem in a reputable online casino is non-existent these days.

In legitimate online casinos, there are deposit and betting limits that players can set. These restrict the size of deposits and bets players can make and completely root out problem-gambling behavior.

Social and economic pros and cons of casinos in the Philippines

As similar as they are, there are still quite a lot of differences between online and land based casinos in the Philippines. Let’s look at the most prominent socio-economic advantages and disadvantages of casinos in the country.

Socio-economic advantages and disadvantages of casinos
Pros	Cons
Increased tax revenue Increased economic activity More jobs Less crime More money for charities	Difficult to regulate all casinos More problem gamblers, but only in the first couple of years after a casino opens

Pros

Increased tax revenue

The government in the Philippines is always looking for additional sources of tax revenue. However, these are often hard to come by.

An easy fix to this is to open more legal casinos. Legal casino tax revenue can increase the budget of a country by quite a lot. The more legal casinos there are the more tax money the government will see.

So the next time you hear a government official say how the Philippines need a tax reform or to tighten their belt, remind them that there is also a much simpler solution. They can encourage people to open more legal casinos.

Increased economic activity and more jobs

Opening legal casinos does not only increase tax revenue directly, but also indirectly. It does this by putting more money into the pockets of those who own and work in casinos. And the casino industry employs quite a lot of people.

Casinos also increase the cash flow in connected businesses that operate in or around them. This means that restaurants, bars, and dining areas also see a lot of windfall from legal gambling establishments.

All this money cannot stay in people’s pockets forever, of course, and has to go in the Philippine economy sooner or later. This means more money for small enterprises, individual business owners, and more money in tax revenue.

Reduces criminal activity

Casinos have gone a long way from the days when they were connected to the mob and were synonymous with criminal activity. These days, legal casinos are just like any other business and the people working there only want to earn a living for themselves and for their families.

What is more, when there are more legal casinos, the number of illegal ones decreases. As you can imagine, criminal activity is predominantly present in these illegal establishments. The less illegal casinos there are the less crime the Philippines will see.

More money for charity donations

You might be surprised to learn that the gambling industry has to give a portion of its revenue to charity, but that is indeed the case. Even when this is done on voluntary basis there is lots of discontent in the public if the gambling industry fails to meet the donation target.

Cons

The government cannot regulate all gambling venues

Land based regulators try hard to impose the law on all gambling establishments in the Philippines. However, that sometimes requires a lot of footwork and is not always practical.

Gambling venues with dubious credentials often spring up in remote parts of the Philippines that you will struggle to even get to. These are not legitimate casinos and often look exactly like you see them in films – lots of shady-looking people gambling illegally in dark and smoke-filled rooms.

Regulating these would require authorities to go to every village and close a gambling shop as a new one opens somewhere else. Obviously, this is not very practical and would cost the tax payer a lot of money.

Increase in problem gamblers

It is to be expected that once there are more casinos out there, there will also be more players who will visit them. And if there are more players that go into a casino, the higher the chances that some of them will be problem gamblers or will develop the problem later.

Experts are also suggesting an alternative view here. They say that it is obvious that there will be more problem gamblers in the first couple of years after a new casino opens. This is to be expected.

However, they also say that after that initial excitement surrounding the casino goes away, the number of problem gamblers decreases. This means that you can expect to see more people with a gambling problem frequent a casino in the first few years, but that number will likely decrease in the future.

Reuters survey: journalists are experiencing COVID-19 coverage stress

August 14, 2020 | 1:47 pm

by Patricia B. Mirasol

Journalists are struggling to cope with the emotional demands of covering the pandemic, wrote Meera Selva, director of the Journalist Fellowship Program at Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, and Dr. Anthony Feinstein, professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto.

The pair conducted a study at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism this June and asked a sample of 73 journalists from international organizations a set of questions on their working conditions and emotional state.

Seventy percent said they were suffering from psychological distress. More than a quarter of the responses suggest symptoms compatible with generalized anxiety disorder, a diagnosis with symptoms such as worry, insomnia, poor concentration, and fatigue. Eleven percent had symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, including recurrent intrusive thoughts of COVID-19 events and feelings of guilt, fear, and anger.

Close to three-fourths—or 74%—report on health matters related to the pandemic, although only 4% were specialist health reporters prior to the coronavirus crisis. One respondent shared how it was hard “navigating the challenge of covering a global story that is both personal but professional, leading a team to do so, and having to explain a new subject in an accurate, responsible, and fast way.” Another stressed about covering for colleagues who could not make it to the office because of coronavirus fears.

SUPPORT STRUCTURES

Organizations have been moderately supportive, according to the respondents, who gave an average score of 6/10 (where 10 was very supportive and 0 was not supportive). A similar rating was given on how they regard their work during the pandemic.

Freelance journalist and filmmaker Timothy McDonald said the results were not surprising, but that, “…all your respondents have a measure of job security. Go and ask a few freelancers how they’re feeling about the whole industry imploding right now.” Freelance journalists are particularly vulnerable as they do not have the protection of unemployment or severance pay. Ms. Selva advised editors who commission freelance reporters to keep an eye on them as they have even fewer support structures available.

The authors stated the need to get the top-line findings out to show the need for immediate action: “We feel it is important to flag up the pressure many journalists are working under so that news media and others can consider how to respond to the problems we identify.”

POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH

In the Philippines, which has the highest number of coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia, the health crisis adds another source of anxiety for journalists who are facing increasing hostility from the Duterte administration.

Still, Filipino journalist Howie Severino managed to find the silver lining in the crisis. A COVID-19 survivor, he documented the journey of a pandemic frontliner in “Ako si Patient 2828” (“I Am Patient 2828”) and spoke about post-traumatic growth (PTG)—or positive changes triggered by a trauma—in a recent social media post.

According to Mr. Severino, complex emotions have to be processed after going through survivor syndrome, which is a combination of guilt, self-absorption, and depression. He offered the following steps as a roadmap to PTG: doing things for others, sharing your story with anyone who asks and cares to listen, and listening closely when others share their stories.

“The biggest reward is just being alive and able to share a hopeful story,” Mr. Severino said in a separate post.

For quicker processing of claims, hospitals should go paperless — HMO

August 14, 2020 | 1:05 pm

by Mariel Alison L. Aguinaldo

The healthcare industry needs to move faster in adopting digital solutions for better operations and servicing, according to InLife Health Care, a health maintenance organization (HMO).

Some clinics and hospitals still bill their HMO claims on paper, which entails manual processing. This consequently lengthens their accounts receivable cycle. There are also doctors who hesitate to accept digital payments, preferring to still be paid in cash or in check.

“[Processing a check] takes time, and then it will have to be delivered. Right now that there’s a pandemic, it’s so hard to deliver the checks,” said Noemi Azura, president and chief executive officer of InLife Health Care, during

The aforementioned HMO has adopted digital solutions that cuts red tape. With a swipe of their membership card, a patient can quickly confirm their membership status and get approval for small coverage amounts. They can also file for reimbursements on their mobile application by uploading a photo of their receipt along with their request.

Technology also allows patients to order medicine on e-commerce platforms and consult their doctors through telehealth services.

“Before the pandemic, there was a very low take-up of telemedicine because people still preferred seeing their doctors face-to-face. But during the pandemic, there was acceleration in adoption… because they’re so afraid to go to the hospitals,” said Ms. Azura.

This accessibility extends to timely mental health interventions. According to research company Premier Value Provider Inc., the enhanced community quarantine triggered severe anxiety in 87% of Filipino millennials and Gen Z’s and severe depression in 62%.

To help the youth and other groups cope with these conditions, mental health organizations such as In Touch Community Services began offering web counseling sessions. A stress management program uses Zoom’s breakout room, whiteboard, and polling features to make it as interactive as possible. In Touch also holds webinars on well-being for the general public and training sessions for guidance counselors and psychologists who want to learn web counseling.

“Once connected with someone online, we will experience the other person and the relationship between us,” said Dr. Julian Montano, clinical supervisor at In Touch Community Services.

To hasten digital adoption within the healthcare industry, former Health Secretary Jaime Galvez-Tan, who now chairs the non-governmental organization Health Futures Foundation, suggested a mentoring program with young healthcare workers in charge of educating their senior peers.

The health-and-wellness webinar was part of a series of breakout sessions held during the Impact Hackathon, a virtual event that aims to create sustainable digital solutions.

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