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Targa unveiling completes new-gen Porsche 911 lineup

IN EARLY MARCH, the 992 generation of the Porsche 911 Coupe and 911 Cabriolet were revealed. Now, the debut of the Targa completes the model trio of the iconic sports car.

Coming in an all-wheel drive 911 Targa 4 and 911 Targa 4S iterations, the vehicle premiered on the Porsche web TV channel 9:11 Magazine.

As with the original 911 Targa of 1965, the 992-gen Targa boasts an innovative roof (fully automated in the new model). It has a unique roll hoop, a movable section above the front seats, and a wraparound rear window. This roof opens and closes in just 19 seconds.

Powering the new 911 Targa is a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged, six-cylinder boxer power plant. In the 911 Targa 4, it delivers 385ps at 6,500rpm — up 15ps over the previous model — and 450Nm of torque (1,950rpm to 5,000rpm). When the engine is mated to the optional Sport Chrono package, the 911 Targa 4 can zoom from standstill to 100kph in 4.2 seconds (up by 0.1 second). It can muster a top speed of 289kph.

In the new 911 Targa 4S, the engine is tuned to deliver 450ps, up 30ps over the preceding model. Its torque rating (plus 30Nm) is at 530Nm — available between 2,300rpm and 5,000rpm. Zero-to-100kph time is 3.6 seconds (up by 0.4 second); it reaches a maximum speed of 304kph (an improvement of 3kph).

Both the new 911 Targa 4 and 911 Targa 4S are equipped with an eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission (PDK) and the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) intelligent all-wheel drive system as standard, with the Targa 4S additionally available with a newly developed seven-speed manual gearbox with Sport Chrono package. Fitted for the first time onto both models is the Porsche InnoDrive that includes adaptive cruise control. An enhanced Smartlift function allows programming of the cars’ ground clearance — making them ideal for daily use.

An improved front axle, clutch and differential units which are water-cooled, and reinforced clutch discs enhance the performance of the new all-wheel drive models.

Standard to both the new 911 Targa 4 and 911 Targa 4S is the electronically controlled Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) variable damping system, which automatically adjusts driving comfort and handling to a particular situation. It also has two manually adjustable maps: Normal and Sport. Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus), which includes an electronic rear differential lock with fully variable torque distribution, is standard on the Targa 4S and is an option on the Targa 4.

The cabin of the new 911 Targa is characterized by the lines of the dashboard and the recessed instruments, the inspiration for which came from 911 models from the 1970s. Alongside the central rev counter — a defining feature for Porsche — are two thin, frameless freeform information displays. A compact switch unit with five buttons for direct access to important vehicle functions is located below the 10.9-inch center screen of the Porsche Communication Management (PCM). Some of the PCM’s features are online navigation based on swarm data, and Connect Plus with Apple Car Play.

Subic expressway expansion eyed this year

DESPITE the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic to construction activities, NLEX Corp. still aims to complete the P1.6-billion Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEx) capacity expansion project within this year.

“We are still targeting to complete the SFEx expansion this year although January will be the late finish,” NLEX Corp. Senior Vice-President for Communication Romulo S. Quimbo told BusinessWorld in a phone message on Sunday.

He added that the project is now “about 40% complete.”

The company started the expansion project in September last year.

The project involves the construction of two additional lanes, two new bridges at Jadjad and Argonaut, and a new tunnel on the 8.2-kilometer toll road.

Public and private construction projects have been allowed to resume under the modified enhanced community quarantine, but workers must be housed and fed onsite and observe physical distancing rules, among other requirements for construction work during the pandemic.

Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar’s Department Order 35 sets rules for carrying out infrastructure projects during the coronavirus pandemic.

NLEX Corp. expects the transport of goods in and out of the Subic Freeport to be faster and simpler once it fully completes the project.

Subic is home to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, a special economic zone that facilitates trade in Central and North Luzon through shipping.

The SFEx expansion is also expected to make Subic a more viable tourist and investment destination because of improved connectivity.

NLEX Corp. is under Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Stuff to do at home (06/08/20)

Ayala Museum online


The Ayala Museum and the Filipinas Heritage Library extends its commemoration of the Declaration of Philippine Independence beyond June 12. The museum will offer Spotify playlists, virtual tours and online exhibitions about the battles of past generations for independence. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/ayalamuseum/. For more online content, visit ayalamuseum.org/online-resources.

PETA’s online workshops

PETA launches its first paid and exclusive workshop Let’s Get Creative Plus. Courses include Children’s Theater, Musical Theater for Teens, Acting for Screen, and Acting for Stage. Classes will be conducted via Zoom. For more information and to register, visit http://bit.ly/PETAOnlineWorkshop.

Digital PRIDE week

Benilde Hive (BHIVE), the LGBTQIA+ student organization of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, takes its Benilde Pride Week 2020 advocacy to its social media platforms. With the theme “Experiencing Love in Diversity,” the first online Benilde Pride will be held from June 8 to June 20. The Spectrum: Art Exhibit spotlights Benildean and non-Benildean artists who continue to promote self-expression through art. PRISM, an online spoken word event, will go on view on June 16 (4 p.m.). Benilde Hive Unfiltered: The Making of Pride is a podcast that discusses the establishment of the country’s first LGBTQIA+ student organization in a Lasallian setting. Hosted by Aica Sylianco and Jacko Ordoñez and facilitated by Justine Macachor, it will be on a pre-recorded Zoom conference on June 17 (2 p.m.). In the Ready, Set, Drag! webinar, guest drag performers will share their personal experiences, on June 20 (3 p.m.). Benilde Pride Week 2020 will be available on view at the organization’s official social media accounts: Facebook and Instagram @benildehive and Twitter @csbbenildehive. For inquiries, contact bhive@benilde.edu.ph.

VLF 2020: KAPIT

Virgin Labfest 2020’s 10 featured plays, staged readings, and revisited plays will premiere via free live streaming on the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ official Facebook page beginning June 10. Recorded versions of the shows will be streamed on the Vimeo website and app from June 14 to 28. Viewers can set up an account, then search for “Cultural Center of the Philippines” or “VLF Kapit” for access to the shows. The festival also offers series packages: Regular Series Package (P100) and the Premium Series Package (P200). (To purchase, go to https://vimeo.com/ondemand/vlf2020kapit or https://vimeo.com/ondemand/vlf2020kapitpremium.) For more details and show schedules, visit https://www.facebook.com/culturalcenterofthephilippines/ and https://www.facebook.com/thevirginlabfest/, or join https://www.facebook.com/groups/VLFTambayan/. Meanwhile, watch older Virgin Labfest entries Raymund Barcelon’s Huling Hiling Ni Darling (Virgin Labfest 15) and Em Mendez’s Ang Unang Regla Ni John (Virgin Labfest 9) on CCP’s YouTube channel (bit.ly/CCPOnlineYT). The shows will be online for one week.

Ardhito Pramono and Ben&Ben in a digital concert

Indonesia singer Ardhito Pramono joins Filipino band Ben&Ben, and Singaporean alt-pop artist Benjamin Kheng for a virtual show called From His Backyard, Online #HappyConcert with Ardhito Pramono and Friends on June 8, (9 p.m. Philippine time) via Loket. Tickets are available at https://www.loket.com/event/ardhitoonlineconcert.

Ballet Manila online

BALLET Manila is streaming Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s favorite roles from her Swan Song Series at its official social media pages (www.facebook.com/balletmanilaofficial) and (www.youtube.com/c/balletmanilaofficial). The series opens with Swan Lake, premiering on June 6 (6 p.m.). It will be available until June 12 (10 p.m.).

CAST Recording

CAST Recording’s third radio drama: Arnold Bennett’s A Question of Sex is now on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5bLSOsJPkZnIaEFDfSSHbl?si=ndUICgUUQj-UKIjxEGbW6w&fbclid=IwAR06k5DEB0zRa4b1jCqeglmtENl3lTwCAwlcOiLltwcNGjg84r8qHdhmL-M). Directed by Nelsito Gomez, the reading features Reb Atadero, Sarah Facuri, Cathy Azanza-Dy, and Jeremy Domingo.

National Museum of the Philippines

THE National Museum of the Philippines has released a new coloring set with Larry Dianco’s illustrations of endemic orchids such as the waling-waling. To download, visit https://www.facebook.com/nationalmuseumofthephilippines/photos/a.195151237175869/3282991451725150/?type=3&theater.

Landers online workshops for kids

LANDERS Superstore’s Mommy Club, in partnership with Child’s Home Educational Center, is offering free weekly online workshop classes. It is open to children of Landers members who are aged four to seven. Kids can learn about nature, science, animals, and health. There are storytelling, arts and crafts activities, science experiments, and games. The workshop classes are held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and will run throughout June. Each class will be 45 to 60 minutes long and will be facilitated by two preschool teachers from Child’s Home Education Center. Participants are required to have a stable internet connection, as well as a phone, tablet, or laptop with the Zoom app. They will receive the Zoom meeting ID and list of materials needed on the day of their kid’s scheduled class. Sign up at https://www.landers.ph/lofcustomermembership/buy. After signing up, go to the Landers Mommy Club Facebook page @LandersMommyClub and join the group. Only 15 kids will be accepted for each class and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/LandersPH/.

J.K. Rowling’s The Ickabog

Best-selling author J.K. Rowling is releasing her new children’s novel The Ickabog online. Ten chapters are currently available, with more chapters to be released over the next seven weeks. The book is set for full release in November. Read the chapters for free at https://www.theickabog.com/.

Swans for Relief

Thirty-two premier ballerinas from 22 dance companies in 14 countries — including Ballet Philippines’ Denise Parungao and Jemima Reyes — dance in a video of Le Cygne (The Swan) to the music by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed by cellist Wade Davis. The video was done in support of Swans for Relief, a fundraising program organized by dancers Misty Copeland and Joseph Phillips. Funds will be distributed to participating dance companies as a COVID-19 relief fund. To watch performances, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT14o5Wq7gE/. To donate, visit https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/swansforrelief.

NCCA online

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) presents The National Artists series of Sagisag Kultura TV at the NCCA Youtube (https://tinyurl.com/NationalArtistSeries). Premiering episodes include videos of National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin, National Artist for Dance Leonor Orosa-Gocquinco, and National Artist for Music Lucrecia Kalisag.

Tanghalang Pilipino’s Pantawid ng Tanghalan

Tanghalang Pilipino launches the Pantawid ng Tanghalan fundraising project to sustain its commitment to providing the public with artistically excellent and socially relevant productions during the pandemic. From May 30 to June 30, TP will be streaming six of its original plays through iWant. The streaming plays are Lam-ang: An Entho Epic Musical; Mabining Mandirigma; Coriolano; Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw; Der Kaufmann; and Sandosenang Sapatos. To donate, visit https://ktx.abs-cbn.com/events/25444/pantawid-ng-tanghalan.

NHCP Museums

LEARN about Philippine history by visiting various National Historical Commission of the Philippines museums across the country online. To do so, visit https://www.facebook.com/historymuseumsPH/photos/a.474072142988822/769005046828862/?type=3&theater.

The Royal Opera House online

AS part of its #OurHousetoYourHouse, the Royal Opera is streaming Glacomo Puccini’s Suor Angelica at its official Facebook page at (https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/). The show stars soprano Ermonela Jaho in the title role.

Foo Fighters at the Wembley Stadium

THE Foo Fighters’ concert film Live at the Wembley Stadium is now available online at the band’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcwBsntqjmY&feature=emb_title). The show features guest performances by Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin.

Tanghalang Ateneo’s Lysistrata ng Bakwit

TANGHALANG Ateneo’s Lysistrata ng Bakwit (2018), an adaptation of Aristophanes’ Greek classic, is available for viewing online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8HhUJTXE2A&feature=emb_title. Directed by Ricardo Abad, the story is set in a fictional war-torn Philippine province and follows the revolt of women evacuees fighting their own wars concerning territory, familial ties, and tribal disputes.

Shelter fund’s photography

THE Shelter Fund gives freelance photographers a venue to exhibit their art for sale amidst the challenges posed by the quarantines. Each print is an original signed artwork specially selected by the photographer for the Shelter Fund, and printed on archival, heavyweight paper in A2, A3, A4 and A5 sizes through Shutterspace Studios. Visit the Shelter Fund on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/shelterfund and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/shelterfundph.

Jerrold Tarog’s Senior Year

WRITTEN, directed, edited and scored by Jerrold Tarog, the film Senior Year (2010) is now streaming on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/404089376). Set in a Catholic school the story follows the struggles and anxieties of students during their final year in high school.

Dulaang UP’s Adarna

DULAANG UP’s play Adarna (2013) is now streaming online. Adapted by Vlad Gonzales and directed by José Estrella, the story is based on the narrative poem about three princes’ quest to save their ailing father by capturing the Adarna bird which is believed to have curative powers. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=hV2UPXi1wMA&feature=emb_title.

National Library of the Philippines

THE National Library of the Philippines offers free scholarly eResources including research related to COVID-19. The list of resources come from the National Emergency Library, Cochrane Library (Medical & Health Science), De Gruyter — Journals (Multidisciplinary), and more. To view access links to eResources, visit https://www.facebook.com/NLP1901/photos/a.375779479606724/912930019224998/?type=3&theater.

Jenkins at Royal Albert Hall

WELSH mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins performed alone at The Royal Albert Hall. The online show is the first in a series of performances of the London Together initiative as a tribute to the COVID-19 frontliners. Watch the concert at The Royal Albert Hall’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCugNt9gmBgZSFEv4lc4B6Zg.

Guggenheim artbooks

THE Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum offers downloadable items from its archives for free. Titles include modern and contemporary art books about Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Vassily Kandinsky, Gustav Klimt and more. The archive is searchable by artist, year, medium and artistic style or movement. Visit the archives, https://archive.org/details/guggenheimmuseum.

BioBalance Wellness consultation

THE BioBalance Wellness Institute offers the following services and features: free online consultation with its clinical nutritionist and nurse practitioners, wellness expert psychologist; online health and immunity risk assessment; and more payment options for availed services and products. For more information, contact 0917-521-4860 or concierge@biobalanceinstitute.com.

IkotMNL tour from home

THE Museo de Intramuros, Ayala Museum, and Presidential Museum and Library in Malacañang Palace have partnered with Google to put their works online. Learn new things at home and visit the museums through a virtual tour: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/malacanang-presidential-museum-and-library; https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/ayala-museum; and https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/intramuros-administration.

Film masterclasses

LEARN film concepts through interviews and film retrospectives from more than 60 directors, producers, writers, and actors including Bong Joon-Ho, Abbas Kiarostami, Agnès Varda, Spike Lee, Werner Herzog (with Roger Ebert), Jane Campion, Jodie Foster, Todd Haynes, Ang Lee, Jessica Lange, and Clint Eastwood. To watch, visit https://walkerart.org/magazine/series/dialogues-film-retrospectives.

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 benefiting the World Health Organization and other charities. The two-hour concert is currently available on his YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/user/davidguettavevo).

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 in-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 Thursdays (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/.

Color Tolkien characters

THE official Facebook page of the late 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.

Print & Play activities for kids

KEEP kids entertained with new curated Print & Play activities from HP. The activities from craft making, mazes, dot-to-dot drawing and puzzles are suitable for ages 2 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, a Q&A with exhibit curator Julian Harrison. To view, visit https://artsandculture.google.com/project/harry-potter-a-history-of-magic.

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, an online version of the Harry Potter series’ magical school by Harry Potter fans that allows visitors to take courses like the characters from J.K. Rowling’s book series. Various courses include 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 sketches for coloring. The shoe designs are downloadable at https://www.manoloblahnik.com/gb/smile.html.

Palacio de Memoria virtual tour

ART and history enthusiasts can now go on a virtual tour of Palacio de Memoria, the resplendent Colonial Revival mansion, and marvel at 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’ unrivalled collection of antiques, the Mosphil Lounge, and a passenger plane that was refitted to be a lounge for special occasions. To view the complete Palacio de Memoria’s virtual tour, visit https://www.palaciodememoria.com/tours. For more updates, follow @thepalaciodememoria on Facebook and @palacio.de.memoria on Instagram.

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/.

US court blocks sales of Bayer weed killer in United States

A US appeals court has blocked Bayer AG (BAYGn.DE) from selling an agricultural weed killer in the United States, the latest setback for a business already fighting an expensive legal battle over another product.

A three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) substantially understated the risks related to the use of dicamba, a chemical found in herbicides sold by Bayer and rivals that are sprayed on genetically engineered soybeans and cotton. The herbicides are known to drift away and damage other crops that are not resistant.

The lawsuit was among those German-based Bayer inherited when it bought Monsanto for $63 billion (49.96 billion pounds) in 2018. The company faces separate allegations that its glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup causes cancer.

Environmental groups have sought cancellation of the EPA’s approval of Monsanto’s dicamba-based XtendiMax herbicide, arguing it harms nearby plants and wildlife.

The court agreed, and its ruling, issued on Wednesday, also blocks sales of dicamba-based herbicides like BASF’s Engenia and Corteva Agriscience’s (CTVA.N) FeXapan.

Bayer and BASF (BASFn.DE) said they disagreed with the judgment. Corteva said it was reviewing the decision and believed dicamba could be used safely.

Shares in Bayer fell 4%, while BASF’s stock recovered after initial losses and Corteva’s stock rose 3%.

Bayer said the ruling related to the agency’s 2018 registration decision that expires in December and that it was seeking new EPA registration for the herbicide for 2021 and beyond. The EPA said it was reviewing the court’s decision and would move promptly to address its order.

“Depending upon actions by the EPA and whether the ruling is successfully challenged, we will work quickly to minimize any impact on our customers this season,” Bayer said.

RULING PRAISED, CRITICIZED
US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue criticized the ruling and said it was unclear if farmers who had already purchased dicamba products for the current soy season could legally use them.

“Farmers across America have spent hard earned money on previously allowed crop protection tools. I encourage the EPA to use any available flexibilities to allow the continued use of already purchased dicamba products,” Mr. Perdue said in a statement.

The EPA added restrictions on the use of dicamba in 2018 and the companies adapted as a result. Bernstein analyst Gunther Zechmann said there would therefore be little effect on dicamba volumes for next year’s planting season.

“The company has already made label adjustments, which has therefore made the court opinion moot,” he said in a note.

The decision could cost Bayer 30 million euros ($34 million)in lost earnings, Mr. Zechmann said.

Arkansas farmer Reed Storey said he was encouraged by the ruling, after his soybeans suffered damage from dicamba sprayed on neighboring fields from 2016 to 2018.

“It’s a move in the right direction in getting the in-crop use of it stopped,” he said.

Some farmers and seed dealers said the ruling could drive a shift away from Bayer’s dicamba-resistant Xtend soybean seeds to Enlist E3 soybeans sold by Corteva.

Xtend soybeans account for more than half of US soy plantings. Farmers turned to the product to protect themselves from dicamba sprayed by neighbors and after some weeds developed resistance to glyphosate.

The American Soybean Association trade group said in a statement it “regrets that the future of dicamba — a very effective weed management product when used responsibly — is on the line.” — Reuters

Philippine job situation at a glance

More than seven million Filipinos were jobless amid a coronavirus pandemic in April, driving up the country’s jobless rate to a 15-year record. Read the full story.

Philippine job situation at a glance

How PSEi member stocks performed — June 5, 2020

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Friday, June 5, 2020.

More migrant workers displaced by COVID-19 crisis return home

MORE THAN 1,300 Filipino workers from overseas came home at the weekend amid a coronavirus pandemic that has sickened seven million and killed more than 400,000 people worldwide, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The agency welcomed 1,320 overseas Filipinos from the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Barbados and Nigeria, it said.

Of the total, 428 were stranded workers in the UAE and Hong Kong, who arrived on three separate flights on Saturday. Meanwhile, 345 Filipino seafarers from Barbados also came home on Saturday at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga province, DFA said.

This brings the total number of overseas Filipinos who have come home to more 36,000 since the government started its repatriation program in February, it said.

The workers underwent medical checkup and will undergo a 14-day quarantine at health facilities approved by the Bureau of Quarantine.

Critics earlier slammed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) after thousands of overseas Filipino workers were stranded at quarantine facilities in Metro Manila for two-months.

This prompted President Rodrigo R. Duterte to order the Labor and Health departments to send 24,000 workers to their hometowns.

Meanwhile, DFA said eight more Filipino workers abroad have been infected with the novel coronavirus, bringing the total to 5,369. The agency said 2,781 patients were being treated, 2,225 have recovered and 363 have died.

Also yesterday, the Philippine Coast Guard said more than 53,000 returning Filipinos from overseas had tested negative for the coronavirus disease 2019.

The migrant workers would be allowed to go home to their home provinces, it said in a statement on Sunday.

“Returning overseas Filipinos who are included in the master list are advised to coordinate with the PCG or OWWA personnel to process their return to their province or city,” it said.

The workers will be issued quarantine clearances at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange or at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana on Friday said the government would limit the arrival of Filipino workers from overseas to 1,200 daily after reports of congestion at facilities in Metro Manila.

He said they wanted to control the entry of returning overseas Filipinos including seafarers as 42,000 more were expected to arrive.

Mr. Lorenzana said they would increase the limit to 1,500 or 2,000 and expedite their clearance once the capacity is increased, according to a taped meeting with Mr. Duterte aired last week.

Returning OFWs will only now have to stay in Metro Manila for five days before being sent home, assuming they are coronavirus-free, the Defense chief said. He added that there were now enough coronavirus testing facilities.

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III on Tuesday said more than 300,000 OFWs had been displaced by the global pandemic. — Charmaine A. Tadalan and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Coronavirus infections near 22,000, says DoH

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) reported 555 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, bringing the total to 21,895.

The death toll rose to 1,003 after nine more patients died, while 89 more patients have gotten well, raising the total recoveries to 4,530, it said in a bulletin.

Of the new cases, 378 were results that came out in the past three days while 177 were validated late, DoH said.

The DoH said 15,905 were active cases, 4.4% or 698 of whom did not show symptoms and 95.1% or 15,131 were mild cases. It added that less than 1% of the cases showed severe and critical symptoms at 57 and 19 respectively.

The country now had 54 licensed laboratories that can test COVID-19 samples, according to the bulletin.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire on Friday said the daily testing capacity had reached 10,000, allowing the government to expand the targeted testing to include patients who do not show symptoms.

Anna Ong-Lim, president of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines, said relatives and colleagues of positive patients as well as health workers should be covered by the expanded testing.

She also said people with underlying medical conditions and the elderly should be prioritized. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Congressman seeks to clarify votes on anti-terror measure

AN OPPOSITION congressman wants a clarification of how the House of Representatives voted last week on a bill seeking to strengthen the country’s anti-terror law after some of his colleagues changed their mind.

In a letter to the House secretary general dated June 6, Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman cited a need to verify the votes because there “appears to be some confusion on the tabulation of votes as evidenced by changes and corrections made in the result of the voting by the attending staff of the secretariat.”

Mr. Lagman said counting must be based on individual voting in plenary and through the Zoom app.

He also said the certification should include the names of those who changed their votes.

“A public disclosure of the voting record would also afford representatives to clarify how they actually voted or that they did not vote at all,” Mr. Lagman said.

Several lawmakers changed their votes after the bill was approved on third and final reading on Wednesday.

Albay Rep. Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda withdrew his support for the measure and registered an abstention instead.

“While the bill would help law enforcement in prosecuting suspects, some definitions must be tightened to ensure the protection of the rights of the people,” he said in a letter dated June 5. “Provisions inconsistent with human rights and the 1987 Constitution must also be amended.”

Deputy Speaker and Antique Rep. Lorna Regina B. Legarda also denied having co-authored the bill that critics said would allow the state to violate human rights.

Muntinlupa Rep. Rozzano Rufino B. Biazon withdrew his principal authorship of the bill, saying “there are inputs of House members that could refine and polish it to be more acceptable.”

The measure allows an Anti-Terror Council (ATC) made up of Cabinet officials to do functions otherwise reserved for courts, such as ordering the arrest of suspected terrorists. It also allows the state to keep a suspect in jail without an arrest warrant for 14 days from three days now.

It also considers attacks that cause death or serious injury, extensive damage to property and manufacture, possession, acquisition, transport and supply of weapons or explosives as terrorist acts.

The bill, which will repeal the Human Security Act, was to be submitted to the presidential palace for President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s signature.

The Senate passed the bill as early as February. Mr. Duterte certified the bill as urgent last week. — Genshen L. Espedido

Business chamber seeks faster medical procurement

THE EUROPEAN Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) asked the government to fast-track medical procurement to help pharmaceutical and medical device companies address the coronavirus crisis.

In a statement, the chamber said the Philippine government should help healthcare companies improve access to medical products by providing guidelines on the entry, use and distribution of the goods.

“We prescribe the implementation of a set of procurement guidelines that adapts to the ongoing health crisis, allowing for the expedited channel in purchasing and acquiring diagnostics and medicines used to treat COVID-19,” it said.

ECCP said the government should expand pooled procurement and multi-year contracts to increase the volume of health care products in the country.

It also said the government should give real data and projections on product demand to pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

Incentives should also be given to encourage public-private partnerships to drive research in medical companies, ECCP said.

The chamber said it supports a temporary price freeze on certain drugs and medicines given the public health emergency. — Jenina P. Ibañez

#COVID-19 Regional Updates (06/07/20)

Number coding still suspended

THE number coding scheme for vehicles in Metro Manila remains suspended on June 8, the Metropolitan Manila Authority (MMDA) announced Sunday. The coding system, intended to reduce the volume of vehicles in the capital’s roads, was supposed to take effect again Monday after being lifted since the lockdown in mid-March. MMDA said the “number coding scheme is still suspended on Monday, June 8, until further notice due to limited operations of public transportation in Metro Manila.”

League of mayors, governors push for ‘system’ from national gov’t on returning OFWs

MAYORS and provincial governors were one in calling out the national government for the unsystematic sending of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to their hometowns. “We request for a system to organize returning OFWs based on their point of destination,” Bacolod Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia, president of the League of Cities of Philippines, said in an online meeting Friday organized by the Department of Defense and attended by several Cabinet secretaries. Mr. Leonardia noted that “lack of coordination is also becoming widespread” and stressed that “unpredictable and erratic arrivals of returnees” are difficult to manage as local teams need to be organized to process them upon arrival to ensure health safety protocols are observed. The mayor’s call was supported by Marinduque Governor Presbitero Jose Velasco Jr., president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines. Apart from returning OFWs, local governments are also currently handling the return of residents who were locked out of their hometowns when the quarantine rules were implemented starting mid-March. Several returning OFWs and locally-stranded persons, including those that have certificates of being negative for the coronavirus, have tested positive for the disease upon arrival at their locality. — MSJ

Finance chief to ask agencies to allow Bangsamoro regional gov’t to implement projects with national funding

FINANCE Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III will ask state agencies to enter into agreements with Bangsamoro officials to give the regional government authority to implement projects with national funding. The projects, the Finance department said in a statement on Sunday, involve various sectors, including health, education, infrastructure, and agriculture. “I assure you that the agencies of the national government serving as counterparties in these coordination mechanisms are as fully committed to move forward with this bold initiative in autonomy,” he said during the May 29 online meeting with officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The BARMM has a block grant of P63.6 million in this national year’s budget, which is provided under the law in line with the regional government’s fiscal autonomy, but at the same time subject to rules of the Department of Budget and Management. Mr. Dominguez also said he will ask representatives from the national government to start working with their BARMM counterparts for mechanisms on agreed policies, namely: Zones of Joint Cooperation in the Sulu Sea and Moro Gulf; synchronizing infrastructure development plans; establishment of an Intergovernmental Energy Board; a Council of Leaders that will give advice to BARMM’s chief ministers; and the Philippine Congress-Bangsamoro Parliament Forum for legislative initiatives. Mr. Dominguez and BARMM Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal co-chair the Intergovernmental Relations Body created to coordinate relations between the national government and the Bangsamoro government that is in transition until 2022. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Nationwide round-up

DoH starts releasing cash benefits to health workers infected or dead from COVID-19

THE Department of Health said 25 families have received the P1 million cash benefit granted to health care workers who died due to coronavirus infection in the line of duty. In a statement, the department said all 32 cash checks for the identified beneficiaries have been prepared and 25 were already received, while five are pending some documentary requirements and two for confirmation as the heirs are abroad. Ten cash checks out of 42 health workers who were critically-ill have also been prepared. The cash benefits are provided under the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said President Rodrigo R. Duterte may tap his contingent fund for the cash benefit now that the Bayanihan law has expired. “The compensation will no longer be granted because it’s in the Bayanihan law, not in the General Appropriations Act… But, nothing can stop or anything illegal with the President — given there’s funding — using his contingent fund,” Mr. Drilon said in mixed English and Filipino in an interview over radio DzBB on Sunday. “The President has funds enough at his disposal,” Mr. Drilon said, referring to the P13-billion contingent fund and P4.5 billion confidential and intelligence fund under the 2020 national budget. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas and Charmaine A. Tadalan

Senate probe on illegal COVID-19 hospitals sought

A RESOLUTION has been filed in the Senate seeking to conduct an investigation on illegal hospitals operating to treat solely Chinese nationals who are suspected to have contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay filed Senate Resolution No. 428 in light of government crackdowns that uncovered such clandestine makeshift hospitals in Clark, Pampanga and Makati City. “The proliferation of illegal medical facilities for the treatment of contagious diseases… is a public health concern that the Senate urgently needs to look into considering that they impose serious health risk,” the resolution read in part. The facility in Pampanga was a converted unit within the Fontana Leisure Park at the Clark economic zone. Ms. Binay, who is vice chairperson of the health and demography committee, said the Makati police has determined that the clinic there had “no business permit and the Chinese doctor working there had no license to practice in the Philippines.” Senator Risa N. Hontiveros had earlier called for the immediate deportation and blacklisting of those arrested. The National Bureau of Investigation had said it will be investigating the illegal facilities. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

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