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Doing Good: stepping up during a lockdown

THE battle with COVID-19 rages on as Luzon and other parts of the country enter their fourth week in quarantine and frontliners need all the help they can get to win the war. Here is another list of those who are supporting the frontliners.

DIAGEO
British alcoholic beverage company Diageo has pledged to donate 60,000 liters of 96%-strength ethyl alcohol to governments and local manufacturers in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Myanmar. The alcohol, typically used to produce alcoholic beverages, can be used to produce “over a million bottles of sanitizers or disinfecting agents where necessary,” according to a company statement. The company had previously pledged to donate alcohol to the UK, Ireland, Italy, the US, Brazil, Kenya, India, and Australia, to create a total of 8 million hand sanitizers for frontline medical workers.

eBET
Asian mobile i-gaming supplier eBET has donated 9,800 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Makati Medical Center (MMC) “in response to the call of health workers for protection against the highly infectious coronavirus disease,” said a company statement.

The company said they chose to donate to MMC because “it is one of the hospitals that has experienced a surge of patients since the start of the pandemic in the country.”

“We hope that these protective personal equipment will enable our health workers to perform their duties with a sense of security,” eBET CEO Evan Spytma said in the release.

DE LA SALLE-COLLEGE OF SAINT BENILDE
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) has opened its doors to approximately 60 professionals and health workers from the Philippine General Hospital. The project, called Safe Shelter, saw some facilities in the campus converted into temporary shelters “to provide hospitality and relief to its guests in need of rest and recuperation,” the school said in a statement.

The college added that it is utilizing decontamination booths and strictly abides by safety and hygiene protocols.

“Even as we each try to do our part in stemming the spread of the COVID-19, there are those on the frontlines who, by virtue of their calling, are doing even more. These doctors, nurses, and providers of support services are today’s heroes, who confirm their heroism repeatedly, every day that they choose to come to work and stand by those entrusted to their care,” Benilde President Br. Edmundo “Dodo” Fernandez, FSC, said in the statement.

In a separate program, industrial design students and faculty of DLS-CSB and the University of Santo Tomas came together to produce 3D-printed face shields. They have so far produced 300 masks and are creating more. Several other programs are ongoing to produce PPEs in collaboration with De La Salle University and other DLS-CSB departments.

VILLAR GROUP
The Villar Group has donated and installed disinfecting tunnels in a number of hospitals to aid “health care workers, staff and everyone visiting the hospital get disinfected, as they go in and out of the facility, to curb the spread of the virus,” according to a release.

The tunnels are equipped with sensors that automatically spray a disinfectant mist when people enter it.

The hospitals given the tunnels are the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Las Piñas General Hospital, Don Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, Rizal Medical Center, Quirino Medical Center, the Philippine Heart Center, the Lung Center of the Philippines, San Lazaro Hospital, and Santa Ana Hospital. — ZBC

IATF approves unrestricted movement for agri workers

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has obtained approval to remove restrictions on food production activities, including the movements of farmers and fishermen who have been caught up in local quarantine orders during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said that workers in the agriculture and fisheries sectors play a crucial part in sustaining the food supply as the country deals with disruptions during COVID-19.

“We are heartened that during the 21st teleconference of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), we approved ‘that all agriculture and fishery stakeholders must be considered frontliners and their movements shall remain unhampered’,” Mr. Dar said.

IATF recently approved the DA’s so-called Plant, Plant, Plant program which aims to increase agricultural production and more efficient food marketing and distribution to major markets.

Under the Rice Resiliency Project of the program, DA aims to achieve rice self-sufficiency to 93% by the end of the year. Self-sufficiency targets for rice were effectively abandoned under the Rice Tariffication Law, which eased restrictions on imports.

“We aim to boost palay production to 22.12 million metric tons (MT), equivalent to 13.51 million MT of rice or 93% of the country’s total rice demand at 14.46 million MT,” Mr. Dar said.

He added that the National Food Authority (NFA) is committed to maintain rice buffer stock levels by rice milling and procurement of the domestic harvest of rice farmers and cooperatives.

“We will see to it that the price of rice in the market will be guided by the prices before the enhanced community quarantine started,” Mr. Dar said.

Mr. Dar also advised the consuming public and local government units (LGUs) to proceed with the usual trade and only purchase food that they need for their weekly requirements to maintain balance in the food supply chain.

“We have our DA regional field offices moving around provinces, ensuring the movement of food supply from production areas to the markets. We are seeing to it that trucking is not impeded and that basic food items remain affordable,” Mr. Dar said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Johnson & Johnson’s sets timeline for COVID-19 vaccine

By Vann Marlo Villegas
Reporter

JOHNSON & Johnson’s is developing a vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that is expected to be available for emergency use in 2021.

Paul Stoffels, Johnson & Johnson’s chief scientific officer, said the company plans to start Phase 1 clinical study of the vaccine in September this year and the clinical data and efficacy of the vaccine will also be available by the end of the year.

“It is anticipated that the first batches of a COVID-19 vaccine could be available for emergency use authorization in early 2021,” Mr. Stoffels told BusinessWorld in an e-mail response.

“We will continue to work with local and international health authorities, governments, regulators and NGOs (non-government organizations) to ensure that if development is successful and products approved, we achieve broad and timely access to our healthcare solutions,” he added.

The company is targeting to provide a global supply of more than one billion vaccine doses and expand global manufacturing capacity by establishing new manufacturing capacity in the United States, Europe, and/or Asia.

Mr. Stoffels, vice-chairman of the executive committee, said vaccine development usually takes five to seven years before it is ready for market use but the company is expediting the timeline of the vaccine against COVID-19.

“This could allow vaccine availability for emergency use in early 2021,” he said, adding that the company “is well positioned through our combination of scientific expertise, operational scale and financial strength to bring our resources in collaboration with others to accelerate the fight against this pandemic.”

Mr. Stoffels said that the vaccine program for COVID-19 uses Johnson & Johnson’s-owned Janssen Pharmaceutical, Inc.’s technologies, AdVac® and PER.C6®, used for rapid development of vaccine candidates.

These technologies were also used to manufacture the company’s ebola vaccine and develop Zika, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), and HIV vaccine candidates, which are currently in Phase 2 or Phase 3 of clinical development stages.

The company has identified a lead vaccine and has two back-ups but Mr. Stoffels said the focus is on the production of the lead candidate and “will assess any additional needs” as testing continues.

The company has expanded its partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the US Department of Health & Human Services to speed up the vaccine research program.

Mr. Stoffels said that the company and BARDA committed more than $1 billion investment to co-fund the vaccine research, development and clinical testing. They have also provided additional funding separately for the expansion of the work in identifying potential antiviral treatments against COVID-19.

The World Health Organization said globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has infected more than 1.6 million individuals and killed 99,690.

The Department of Health said there are 4,428 confirmed cases in the country with 247 deaths and 157 recoveries.

Learn at home, with style

YOU might be taking some online classes here and there during this quarantine, but we’re pretty sure you haven’t attended one by Spanish luxury fashion house Loewe.

As large slices of the world population are urged to #stayhome, Loewe Creative Director Jonathan Anderson created the concept Loewe en Casa, turning a forcedly shared situation into an occasion of actual and factual enrichment. Loewe en Casa unfolds as a series of online events, talks, and workshops taking place through Instagram Live for everyone to enjoy in the domesticity of their own space. Paced in regular appointments throughout the week, it celebrates craft, innovation, and artistic expression exploring the words and the work of collaborators involved in the Loewe cultural projects and the finalists of the Loewe Craft Prize.

The range of subjects runs from metalwork, weaving, ikebana (Japanese art of flower arrangement), goldsmithing and ceramics to furniture-making, woodcraft, metalsmithing and textile making. The project merges the theoretical and practical in talks that include studio tours, craft demonstrations, and interactions with artists and designers. The ongoing list of involved personalities includes: Tokyo metalsmith Koichi Io; designer Sophie Rowley; ceramics artist Irina Razumovskaya; weaving artist Idoia Cuesta; artist and woodworker Julian Watts; metal artist Adi Toch, who’ll be showing the temporary make-shift studio she’s built in her home to allow her to keep working; furniture designers Jim Partridge and Liz Walmsley in conversations about working and living together; Giovanni Corvaja holding a tour of his home laboratory-style studio where he combines ancient ideas of alchemy with cutting edge technology; Ikebana artist Watarai demonstrating the Japanese art form, working with flowers, twigs, branches and plants to create unique pieces. Adi Toch’s demonstration is scheduled next Sunday at 4 p.m. CET (10 p.m. in Manila).

In the Philippines, Loewe is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Shangri-La Plaza Mall East Wing. Visit www.ssilife.com.ph or follow @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.

T-bills, T-bonds may fetch lower rates

RATES OF government securities on offer this week will likely decline to follow the trend of falling yields in the market amid monetary easing, strong liquidity and plunging oil prices.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) is looking to raise P20 billion in Treasury bills (T-bills) on Monday, broken down into P10 billion in 91-day papers and P5 billion each via 182- and 364-day T-bills.

On Tuesday, the BTr will offer reissued one-year Treasury bonds (T-bonds) worth P30 billion. The one-year T-bonds were first issued in 2014 and have a remaining life of 11 months and eight days. It has a coupon rate of 3.5%.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort expects yields on the T-bills to be “steady to slightly lower,” while a bond trader said these could dip by 10 to 20 basis points (bps).

For the one-year T-bonds, Mr. Ricafort said the rate could fall within 3.6-3.8% levels while the bond trader sees its yield settling between 3.5% and 3.7%.

At the secondary market on Friday, rates for 91-, 182- and 364-day T-bills closed at 3.293%, 3.448% and 3.717%, based on the PHP Bloomberg Valuation Service Reference Rates.

In last week’s auction, the BTr made a full award of the P20-billion T-bills it offered out of total bids worth P37.6 billion, snapping four consecutive auctions that resulted in full rejections amid soaring rates.

Broken down, it awarded P10 billion in 91-day papers out of total tenders worth P15.95 billion at an average rate of 3.413%, up 38.9 bps from the previous rate.

The government accepted P5 billion each as planned via 182- and 364-day T-bills from P10.915 billion and P10.81 billion in bids, respectively. The average rate for the six-month papers inched up 15.5 bps to 3.553%, while that for the one-year securities also rose 28.8 bps to end at 3.845%.

Mr. Ricafort said even in the secondary market, yields eased as global oil prices continue to plummet to record lows, coupled with a stronger peso.

The trader said the auctions this week could be met with strong demand across all tenors as the market remains liquid following stimulus measures from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

“Strong demand will persist across-the-board as financial market players continue to cheer BSP’s stimulus measures. Moreover, investors continue to show appetite for short dates given the uncertainties surrounding the pandemic,” the trader said via Viber on Friday.

“We may also see some reinvestment flows from a bond maturity amounting to P120 billion on April 11,” the trader added.

Mr. Ricafort said BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno’s hint on another rate cut as well as easing inflation could drive yields lower in the upcoming auction.

“Local interest rate benchmarks (PHP BVAL yields) eased week-on-week and could still continue to ease amid the sharp decline in global oil prices to among the lowest in 18 years, stronger peso exchange rate vs. the US dollar among the strongest in a month and also among the strongest in 2 years, recent signals from BSP Governor Diokno about a possible cut in policy rates even before the next BSP monetary policy-setting meeting on May 21, 2020, recent easing of inflation rate to 2.5% in March 2020, reduction in the MLR (minimum liquidity ratio) to 16% (from 20%) for standalone thrift banks, rural banks, and cooperative banks,” Mr. Ricafort said in a Viber message on Saturday.

Mr. Diokno said on Sunday that as the country faces a “once-in-a-lifetime crisis” amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the BSP could slash the key policy rate — the overnight reverse repurchase rate — below 3%.

“It is now clear that reverting to where we were in 2018 — policy rate at 3.0% — is no longer an appropriate policy goal. A deeper cut is warranted in response to the expected sharp economic slowdown,” Mr. Diokno told reporters in a text message, noting that inflation is seen ending close to the lower end of the BSP’s 2-4% target for the year.

“These new realities call for bolder but appropriate moves on the part of the BSP. The challenge is to cushion the impact of the economic slowdown on people, firms and the financial system,” he said. “The monetary authorities’ job, in coordination with fiscal authorities, is to manage a ‘soft’ landing and ensure that economic takeoff begin quickly once the pandemic fades.”

The BSP has cut rates by a total of 150 bps since 2019, almost completely unwinding the 175 bps in hikes it implemented in 2018 amid multi-year high inflation.

Its latest move was 50-bp reduction last month, which brought the overnight reverse repurchase rate to 3.25% and overnight lending and deposit rates to 3.75% and 2.75%, respectively.

Meanwhile, the central bank chief said the remaining 200-bp reduction in banks’ reserve requirement ratios (RRR) is “forthcoming based on available data, the needs of the economy, and the utilization of the additional liquidity.”

The Monetary Board last month gave Mr. Diokno the authority to cut banks’ RRR by a total of 400 bps this year. Big banks’ RRR was already slashed by 200 bps to 12% as of April 3.

The Treasury has set a P190-billion local borrowing program for April, broken down into P130 billion in T-bills and P60 billion in T-bonds. — B.M. Laforga

Batangas, Quezon rice farmers receive P5,000 subsidy

SMALL RICE farmers in the CALABARZON region have received P5,000 each under the Financial Subsidy to Rice Farmers (FSRF) program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

DA Region IV-A Regional Director Arnel V. de Mesa said as of April 8, a total of 15,353 farmers from Batangas and Quezon Province received their FSRF assistance.

“Farmers who tend a one-hectare farm or less were those who received P5,000 each for their day-to-day farming activities,” Mr. De Mesa said.

The FSRF beneficiaries are farmers in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and whose province was not included in the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program of the DA.

The DA, the Land Bank of the Philippines local government units (LGUs), will continue to distribute cash assistance to more rice farmers from Batangas, Laguna, and Quezon Province.

Meanwhile, over P34.8 million worth of vegetable seed was procured and delivered to all the five agricultural program coordinating offices in Region IV-A, as part of the DA’s urban agriculture project.

Mr. De Mesa said that the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in CALABARZON has been tapped to provide information materials for urban farming, including growing and harvesting indigenous vegetables within 30 to 35 days.

The urban farming materials will be included in the vegetable seed packs to be distributed around Region IV-A.

“All city and municipal agriculturists may devise a strategy on how to distribute the vegetable seeds to prioritize farmers with established marketing linkages,” Mr. De Mesa said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Investors pick up Jollibee stock on a bargain, but some see sales risks to remain

INVESTORS pounced on the Jollibee Foods Corp. stock last week as they took advantage of its attractive valuation following weeks of sell-offs.

Jollibee was the fifth-most traded stock during the three-day trading week from April 6 to 8, with P837.86-million worth of 7.53 million shares exchanging hands at the Philippine Stock Exchange during the period.

Jollibee shares closed at P120 apiece on Wednesday, up 17.6% from its closing price of P102 each on April 3. Its stock price lost 43.7% since the start of the year.

“Prior to the start of [last] week, Jollibee was the second worst-performing stock in the index with a year-to-date share price performance of -52.8%. Thus, [last week’s] gain was mainly driven by investors who bought the stock on the assumption that the worst-case impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) on the company’s business is largely priced in,” said Philippine National Bank (PNB) Vice-President and Head of Equity Research Division Alvin Joseph A. Arogo in an e-mail.

In a separate e-mail, Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Associate Claire T. Alviar attributed the stock’s gain on several factors, namely: the news on the slower domestic inflation rate, the developments on Jollibee’s operations, the declaration of cash dividends, and the “technical rebound” following the stock’s huge sell-off in previous sessions.

“Jollibee is at bargain level in terms of Price-to-Book Value (currently at 2.45 times), [which is] much lower than the five-year average range of 6.4 times to 7.1 times… Its price-to-earnings ratio (trading below 20 times earnings), is cheaper compared with the five-year average of around 39 times earnings. Investors are cautiously picking at bargain level, but risks remain given that same-store sales growth might decline in the Philippines and in abroad as well…,” she said.

In a statement last Tuesday, Jollibee Founder and Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong said that while the pandemic has caused “unprecedented disruption” in the company’s operations, they are “already planning” for the full restoration of operations.

The company expects growth to “resume even if gradually” through its delivery, take-out and drive-thru business channels.

In the same statement, however, the global fast-food operator said it was reducing its capital expenditure allocation for the year by 64% to P5 billion from the previously announced P14 billion due to the operational adjustments brought by COVID-19. Operating costs are also being reduced “significantly” for its stores, commissaries, support services and main offices all over the world.

Moreover, the company also declared a cash dividend of P0.62 per share of common stock, of which dividends will be paid on May 22 to stockholders on record as of April 27.

“From dine-in and serving cooked meals to mostly take-out and offering ready-to-cook meals, we can see how the company shifted its strategy to reduce damages of COVID-19 on its earnings… Some investors are also buying up the stock to be entitled to dividends,” Ms. Alviar said.

On the other hand, PNB’s Mr. Arogo, said this shift towards take-out and delivery would, at best, “only minimize” the disruptive impact of COVID-19 on its financial performance this year.

“We believe quick-service restaurants like Jollibee would operate in a more challenging environment both during and after a virus-driven lockdown. This is because even if the restaurant dine-in resumes, overall consumer confidence, especially for discretionary spending, would likely remain weak due to the economic downturn. There is also a higher chance that the turnaround in the company’s recent international acquisitions could take longer,” he said.

“[W]e expect the higher than normal share price volatility to continue because of uncertainties regarding the economic impact of COVID-19,” he added.

Jollibee has 5,981 stores across the globe as of end-February: 3,317 in the Philippines and 2,664 abroad.

The company previously announced operational limitations both locally and abroad due to government-imposed lockdowns in select regions in light of COVID-19.

In the Philippines, the delivery business has grown 5% in the early part of 2020 from 3% in the early part of 2019. But as several stores have closed due to the Luzon lockdown, those that remained open for drive-thru and take-out orders have risen at an average of 50% same store sales growth in the early part of the year.

For Philstocks’ Ms. Alviar: “[G]ood management will help the company to sustain growth in the coming years so some investors are already accumulating at bargain levels.”

“But for now, the COVID-19 pandemic impact, together with the possible losses from Smashburger and CBTL, could still hit Jollibee’s earnings this year, and the stock price might continue to be volatile,” Philstocks’ Ms. Alviar said.

Jollibee’s attributable earnings stood at P6.33 billion in 2019, 14.4% lower from a year ago due to a 25% contraction in operating income to P5.87 billion.

Ms. Alviar placed Jollibee’s stock first and second support levels at P100 and P88, respectively. Meanwhile, first and second resistance levels are pegged at P120 and P140, respectively.

“Technical-wise, it has to break the P120 resistance with strong volume before it continues to rally, and failing to do so, will pull the stock to its support of P100.00. We expect sideways movement with downside bias next week, after its recent rallies,” she said.

The fast-food chain controls brands such as Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Burger King, PHO24, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Dunkin’ Donuts, Highlands Coffee, Hard Rock Cafe, Smashburger, and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL). — L.O. Pilar

Fabergé eggs anyone?

WHAT do you give a woman who has everything? If you were a Romanov, the answer was apparently a jeweled egg.

Every Easter starting in 1885, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia received a jeweled egg from her husband, the penultimate Czar of Russia, Alexander III, each one from the House of Fabergé. The first egg was a white enamel egg with a yolk of pure gold, which opened to reveal a gold pendant shaped like a hen. After the Czar’s death in 1894, his son, Nicholas II, continued the tradition, presenting one egg to his mother, the Dowager Empress, and his wife, Empress Alexandra. The eggs were a surprise, even to the Czar himself: the only requirement for each commission was that each one had to be unique, and must open to contain a surprise. These led to projects such as jeweled Easter eggs that contained portraits in ivory, or moving mechanical trains, or perfect miniature replicas of the Romanov palaces scattered across the Empire.

With the fall of the Romanovs came the fall of the man who bejewelled them. According to legend, Peter Carl Fabergé was driven out of his factory by the Soviets, giving him only enough time to put on his hat and coat. The family escaped Russia, and Peter Carl Fabergé died just two years after his flight in 1918.

While his sons set up a company in Paris using their father’s name, their biggest jobs then were to repair the Fabergé pieces of scores of Russian emigres. In America, businessman Armand Hammer convinced his friend Samuel Rubin to register the name Fabergé Inc. The family sued for the name, but the case was resolved in an out-of-court settlement. The name passed to many other individuals and entities (even Unilever at one point). The vestiges of the House of Fabergé Limited, with a division called Fabergé Heritage Council, has as members two of Peter Carl Fabergé’s great-granddaughters.

As for the Imperial Easter eggs themselves, they’re now scattered across the globe in private collections of billionaires and royals. Some of the eggs are still lost, with one found as recently as 2014. The Third Imperial Egg, given by Alexander III to his empress, was found in an American flea market, selling for $14,000 — while it was supposedly worth $33 million.

For Easter, we’re presenting a collection of Fabergé eggs that non-royals may be able to afford; recent creations by Fabergé. They’re tiny, and go for about a few thousand dollars.

18K ROSE GOLD SPIRAL PENDANT
This Spiral Egg Pendant comes set in 18 karat rose gold decorated with 36 round brilliant cut white diamonds and is presented on a 50 cm chain. Fabergé has also added a 0.01ct ruby at the bottom of the egg — a ‘hidden gem’ to surprise and delight the wearer.

18K YELLOW GOLD AND DIAMOND EGGS CROSSOVER RING
The Yellow Gold Crossover Ring features round white diamonds set in 18 karat yellow gold. In keeping with its fondness for delight, surprise, and discovery, Fabergé has concealed a ruby on the inside of the ring.

SUNBURST 18K ROSE GOLD DIAMOND AND PINK SAPPHIRE EGG CHARM
The Sunburst Pink Sapphire Rose Gold Charm features round white diamonds and a pink sapphire set in 18 karat rose gold. The egg charm is 14mm. (The bracelet is sold separately).

PALAIS 18K ROSE GOLD DIAMOND AND PINK GUILLOCHÉ ENAMEL EGGS CROSSOVER RING
The Palais Tsarskoye Selo Rose Crossover Ring features pink guilloché enamel and white diamonds, set in 18 karat yellow gold. Fabergé has concealed a ruby on the inside of the ring.

I LOVE YOU 18K YELLOW GOLD AND DIAMOND EGG PENDANT
The I Love You Yellow Gold Pendant features round white diamonds set in 18 karat yellow gold, engraved with the words “I Love You.” The egg is 18mm.

All the items are available at Faberge.com.

Peso to appreciate on demand for liquidity

THE PESO is seen to appreciate versus the dollar this week on the back of demand amid the extended Luzon lockdown and continued improvement in market sentiment due to stimulus measures to cushion economies from the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The local unit closed at P50.585 versus the dollar on Wednesday, stronger by 9.50 centavos from its P50.68 finish on Tuesday, according to data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

The peso also gained 29.5 centavos from its P50.88 close on April 1 and 13.5 centavos from its April 3 finish of P50.72 per dollar.

Markets were closed on Thursday and Friday due to the Holy Week holidays.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort attributed the stronger peso last week to market sentiment on the latest trade deficit data.

“Narrower trade deficit data, among the narrowest in about 2.5 years, amid the recent year-on-year declines in imports and modest growth in exports supported the recent gains of the peso,” Mr. Ricafort said in a text message.

Meanwhile, a trader said the peso gained as the central bank announced a reduction in the minimum liquidity ratio (MLR) of smaller banks.

“The strengthening was more of a continuation of the trend of peso’s strength. A little bit of risk on for us because there was a recent announcement for liquidity ratio cut for thrift banks so it’s a bit of easing so it’s a positive for peso,” the trader said in a phone call.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) trimmed the MLR requirement for smaller banks to 16% from 20% until end-2020 in a move to boost the liquidity of thrift, rural and cooperative banks amid the extension of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

For this week, Mr. Ricafort said continued positive market sentiment could drive the peso higher.

“Major catalyst include any continuation of improved global market risk appetite as seen recently in view of the record stimulus measures worldwide and unprecedented monetary easing by central banks in an effort to better deal with the economic fallout largely due to the COVID-19 outbreak and any risk of recession,” he said in a text message.

Meanwhile, the trader said the peso will remain range-bound as demand for cash persists.

“Since the lockdown is extended, liquidity is still the main factor so I think demand for peso will still be there,” the trader said.

The enhanced community quarantine in Luzon which was supposed to end by 12:00 am of April 13 has been extended by two more weeks to April 30 as the government said more time is needed to flatten the curve and to allow for mass testing, with Health officials noting that cases have yet to peak.

COVID-19 cases in the country reached 4,428 as of Saturday, with 247 casualties, according to the Department of Health. Recoveries totaled 157.

For this week, Mr. Ricafort sees the peso playing around the P50.45 to P50.85 band versus the dollar while the trader gave a forecast range of P50.45 to P50.90. — L.W.T. Noble

Colombian farmers switch coca for coffee to protect wildlife

SAN LUCAS MOUNTAINS, COLOMBIA — In a clearing around his modest smallholding, farmer Arcadio Barajas stands before a sea of coffee plants, cloaked in the shadow cast by a wall of verdant forest that covers the San Lucas mountains of northern Colombia.

The San Lucas range is one of the most unexplored places in this South American nation, which is the world’s second most biodiverse country after neighboring Brazil. From its towering Andean peaks to its tropical islands and dense Amazon rainforest, Colombia is home to over 50,000 recorded species of animals and plants.

Deforestation spiked after Colombia signed a peace deal in 2016 with its largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as swathes of land became more accessible. Government data shows that in 2017, almost 220,000 hectares (543,620 acres) of forest were destroyed, compared with around 124,000 hectares (306,400 acres) in 2015.

The dense forests of San Lucas are a haven for rare predators like ocelots, pumas and spectacled bears — one of the region’s most endangered species — and serve as a crossroads in migratory corridors used by jaguars, whose range stretches from Argentina to Mexico.

Yet this ecosystem is threatened by mining and drug cultivation. Not long ago, crops of coca, the chief ingredient in cocaine, were rooted where Barajas’ coffee plants grow.

Now, Colombian environmental group WebConserva is leading a first-of-its kind project bringing together farmers in San Lucas and roasters across Colombia to produce coffee from plantations that build protective borders around forests to shield the biodiversity within.

So far the project includes 10 families farming some 400 hectares (988 acres) of coffee, which the environmental group covers at a cost of around $77,000 a year. WebConserva hopes eventually to include 200 families, which could protect 20,000 hectares (49,420 acres) or more of virgin forest.

In San Lucas, where Barajas is among the participants, newly planted coffee fields establish a barrier between wild predators and cattle farms, lessening the chance for conflict over cattle.

A religious man, Barajas says tearing down the forest to plant coca and killing wildlife went against his faith but he — like his neighbors — was desperate for money. Now, he feels that growing coffee lets him be a good steward of his land.

“I’m taking care of the environment, the forest and the animals, so that I don’t end up ruined as well,” he said.

Globally more than 31,000 species are threatened with extinction, according to the Red List by the Switzerland-based International Union for Conservation of Nature, whose members include government and civil society. Of these, some 1,050 species are in Colombia, including 187 considered critically endangered.

In San Lucas, the families pledge not to fell trees to expand their crops or to hunt the animals that depend on the forests for survival. Depending on the quality of the product, they receive around $250 to $300 per 125 kilos (275 pounds) of coffee, an enviable return in a country where prices regularly dip below production costs.

While profitability has improved as the peso has fallen against the dollar in recent months, the government doled out $77 million in aid to coffee farmers last year to help them deal with low prices.

As of 2018, the San Lucas area was still carpeted with thousands of hectares of coca crops, according to the most recent government figures.

Gold mining — which drifts between illegality and informality — and farming continue to drive slash-and-burn practices in the region.

Plumes of smoke rise lazily into the sky from multiple points across the mountain range, signaling fires started to clear more space. At the forest edge, patches of scorched earth serve as ugly reminders of human activity.

For the farmers, the switch to coffee from coca or mining is less profitable. Coca could fetch some $760 per kilo, at a time when low coffee prices caused thousands to abandon the industry.

Many families came to rely on illicit activities to support their children, said Arnobis Romero, a former coca grower and miner.

Like many people here, he turned to coffee amid aerial anti-coca spraying campaigns carried out by the government, which were halted in 2015 under then-President Juan Manuel Santos. But the idea of helping to protect the ecosystem and support from WebConserva boosts morale, Romero said.

“We feel really proud to look after this biodiversity and to leave it… for future generations,” he said.

The South American country has designated some 16% of its land territory — some 18.6 million hectares (46 million acres), an area roughly the size of Washington state — as protected areas, but hundreds of thousands of hectares of land are destroyed each year.

Though activists are campaigning for San Lucas to be protected with a national park designation, the process is slow.

In the meantime, WebConserva director Carlos Valderrama hopes the group’s project can build a new system of sustainable production.

“It protects forests, biodiversity and ecosystems at the same time as (improving) coffee growers’ quality of life,” he said.

WebConserva, which acts as a go-between for the farmers and roasters, keeps tabs on the wildlife living in the forests with camera traps that take images when motion sensors are triggered.

Coffee farmer Liseth Alfonso, 28, whose kitchen looks out over the forests below, said seeing photos and videos makes her proud.

“Many are close to extinction,” Alfonso said. “It helps us remember we are taking care of these animals.” — Reuters

PNOC gives P7B for government fight vs virus

STATE-owned Philippine National Oil Corp. (PNOC) forwarded P7 billion of its funds to the government for its fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department of Energy (DoE) said on Sunday.

The fund remittance was authorized by the recently passed Bayanihan to Heal as One law, which granted special powers to President Rodrigo R. Duterte to repurpose funds for the pandemic containment effort. The law empowers him to redirect cash, funds, and investments from any government-owned and controlled corporations and national government agencies to COVID-19 response.

Of the total amount, P5 billion is from accumulated retained earnings of the state-owned company, while P2 billion is from its exploration subsidy.

The DoE noted that the company’s board also pledged to donate a portion of their allowances to procure protective gear and supplies for medical workers in the frontline of the fight to stem the pandemic.

PNOC is a government-owned and controlled-corporation (GOCC) led by the DoE that operates an exploration and a renewables unit.

The PNOC Exploration Corp. has a 10% stake in the Malampaya deep-water gas-to-power project under Service Contract 38 awarded by the DoE, while the PNOC Renewables Corp. runs various solar, hydro, waste-to-energy and other renewable energy projects.

Recently, the DoE authorized the use of the funds under Energy Regulations 1-94 to help local government units in their COVID-19 response. The funds, which come from the centavo per kilowatt-hour take from the total electricity sales of power generation firms, will be redirected for the use of their host communities.

Also, the National Electrification Administration released P1.3 billion of its unused funds to aid in the government’s response against the pandemic.

The National Transmission Corp., also a GOCC under the DoE, has pledged P7.5 million to the Department of Health for the latter’s purchase of testing kits and other equipment needed in its COVID-19 response. — Adam J. Ang

Stuff to do at home (04/13/20)

CCP shows online

The Cultural Center of the Philippines offers HD and archival recordings of theater, dance, visual arts, film, literary, and workshop events from its Cultural Content Digital Archives on YouTube. On April 12 (3 p.m.), CCP Online will be launched with BULAWAN: The CCP 50th Anniversary Gala Concert. To watch the gala and upcoming shows, visit https://www.youtube.com/user/culturalcenterphils?fbclid=IwAR30nifxt1soyxD4bN1DxQeyy_krWWhV2Ruh9OQKJtv-z1q1anDApoPRNzw&app=desktop.

Fundraiser for frontliners

Filipino artists come together for #StrongerTogetherPH, a fundraising show for medical front liners on April 13, 6 p.m. The show will feature Moira dela Torre, Aicelle Santos, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, and Juan Miguel Severo, among others. All proceeds will go to procuring PPE sets and other supplies for hospital workers taking care of COVID-19 patients. To watch the show and for details for donating, visit https://www.facebook.com/BayanihanJDC/.

The National Theater online

London’s National Theater offers free plays online on its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDq1XzCY0NIOYVJvEMQjqw). Watch an adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre until April 16. On April 17 (2 a.m. Philippine time), the theater will premiere an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

The Nanny’s Pandemic Table Read

The cast of the 1990s comedy sitcom The Nanny reunites for The Pandemic Table Read of the show’s pilot episode. It stars Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a beautician who finds a job as a nanny to the three children of wealthy widower and theater producer Maxwell Sheffield (played by Charles Shaughnessy). To watch, visit Sony Pictures Entertainment’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3a6KuP1X14&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1eEwvK0A7lrLMnt2GTXBPoDR7y8_Q5TXMexTLIo9es9Gei4W1Yi-asITM.

Hogwarts online

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

Free Nikon photography class

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

Science experiments at home

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

PETA’s Charot! The Unwanted Prequel

Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) launches episodes of Charot! The Unwanted Prequel once a week at its official Facebook page. The story is a prequel to its play, Charot! The Musical. The prequel is set in a country known as “P.I.,” which is governed by Papsy, as the nation deals with the “Charona veerus.” New episodes will be uploaded on PETA’s official Facebook page weekly. Aside from online content, the theater company is also conducting two donation efforts. One for the distribution of rice to 300 families in Brgy. Kristong Hari, Quezon City; and another for medical equipment such as personal protective equipment for the frontliners of East Avenue Medical Center. To stream the show and for more information on donation efforts, visit https://www.facebook.com/PETATHEATER/.

Color Manolo Blahnik designs

Shoe designer Manolo Blahnik shares a selection of his original sketches in an online coloring book. The shoe designs are downloadable at https://www.manoloblahnik.com/gb/smile.html.

DUP’s plays online

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

Podcasts on Philippine crime

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

Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals online

Andrew Lloyd Webber offers his musicals for free in the online series The Shows Must Go On. The series continues with Jesus Christ Superstar (2012), starring Tim Minchin, Melanie C and Chris Moyles. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/theshowsmustgoon.

Palacio de Memoria virtual tour

Art and history enthusiasts can now go on a virtual tour of Palacio de Memoria, the 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, which houses the Lhuillier family’s collection of antiques, the Mosphil Lounge, and a passenger plane that was refitted to be a lounge for special occasions. To view the Palacio de Memoria’s virtual tour, visit https://www.palaciodememoria.com/tours.

Intramuros virtual tour

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

Photography workshops with Canon PH

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

MSO’s music online

The Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) presents Ennio Marricone’s “Nella Fantasia” from The Mission (1986), which was recorded separately by its musicians while in quarantine, in the hope that it brings some comfort to the listener’s soul. To listen, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceKQHi-9OKQ&feature=youtu.be. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/manilasymphony/.

E-coloring books

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

NFB animated shorts online

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

Silverlens launches Art Boost

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

National Museum of the Philippines

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

Children’s books online

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

Five-hour museum tour

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

Guitar lessons with Fender

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

Toei anime on YouTube

Japanese animation studio Toei’s YouTube channel will stream shows for free. Seventy shows with English subtitles have been released; on April 13, it will release episode 3 and 4 of National Kid (updated on Mondays); and April 14, it will release episode 3 and 4 of Suki Suki Majo Sensei (updated on Tuesdays). To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/user/ToeiAnimationUS.

Educational TV shows return to ABS-CBN

ABS-CBN brings back 1990s educational TV shows every Saturday. Sineskwela (8:30 a.m.) explains topics on science, Bayani (9 a.m.) is about historical figures and events, and Hiraya Manawari (9:30 a.m.) which focuses on values.

Cirque Du Soleil online

Enjoy free 60-minute specials from shows such as Kurios — Cabinet of Curiosities, O, and Luzia. To watch, visit https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/cirqueconnect.

Ayala Museum online

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

E-books for kids

Expand your kids’ library at home through the BuriBooks app. Titles include books from publisher Adarna House, reviewers, and Filipino textbooks. Access the app via iOS, Android, or a web browser. Sign up via https://buribooks.com/. Enjoy it free for 30 days.

National Gallery of Victoria’s virtual tours

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

New free plays on Thursdays

The National Theatre in London brings its shows to YouTube. Every Thursday (7 p.m. GMT/2 p.m. EST), National Theatre at Home will release a new play free to watch for one week. It includes cast and creative interviews and post-stream talks. The remaining shows are Treasure Island on April 16, and Twelfth Night on April 23. For more information, visit https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/nt-at-home?queueittoken=e_safetyevent25mar20~q_b79a6e28-67d9-44de-88e6-29cedc812122~ts_1585490458~ce_true~rt_safetynet~h_8c7928d22caa971981f7edf53563d20e2fe8f68a3a3a1458b34b1cb17f11b50b.

Ballets at the Bolshoi Theatre

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

Free Murakami books online

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

Free books on modern art

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

Free vet consultations online

Dr. Cyron Sarmiento opened his Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mcejsarmiento) and Twitter (@Cyrooon) accounts for free online consultations. For more inquiries, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/648196199302932/. Consultations will run for the entire duration of the enhanced community quarantine.

Free Japanese courses

The Japan Foundation Manila launched an e-learning program of free Japanese courses. It includes six-month beginner and intermediate lessons on calligraphy, vocabulary, grammar, and conversation. Sign-up for your chosen course at https://minato-jf.jp/?fbclid=IwAR2SrhYV-9nH4Hbc9TbTspxg0t39DH6xtLQ-jz1n1uOkeGMK3bCdL022O8I.

Arts and Culture

Learn something new every day with Google Arts and Culture from virtual tours of sites, and museums to food, fashion, and design. Visit https://artsandculture.google.com/.

Frida Kahlo’s artworks online

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

Scribd materials for free for 30 days

Enjoy free books, audiobooks, magazines, and documents for 30 days at Scribd. To view titles, visit https://www.scribd.com/readfree?fbclid=IwAR363ywNP9yoBbKJVQFYCtilfGfljPDGeOatqKJgWMV5Pj9-p7j-gkaGOb8.

Classic Pinoy films online

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

Free Neil Gaiman stories online

Best-selling author Neil Gaiman offers free essays, audiobooks, book excerpts, and videos at his official website under “Cool Stuff and Things.” Visit https://www.neilgaiman.com/Cool_Stuff.

Arts BGC at Home

Every Wednesday, Arts at BGC offers creative prompts at the Arts at BCG (https://www.facebook.com/artsatbgc/ and @artsatbgc) and BGC Art Center ( https://www.facebook.com/BGCArtsCenter/ and @bgcartscenter) Facebook and Instagram pages. Join the Arts at BGC Community to get in touch with other participants. https://www.facebook.com/groups/artsatbgc.

Ballet and opera free online

The Royal Opera House is showing its performances online through its Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/RoyalOperaHouse) pages. Performances include the ballet The Metamorphosis on April 17.

Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries — Quarantine Edition online

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

NHCP Documentaries on YouTube

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

Drawing lessons for kids with Mo Willems

Best-selling author and illustrator Mo Willems is hosting drawing lessons for kids called Lunch Doodles every weekday on YouTube. Each session will be between 20 to 28 minutes long. Mr. Willems is also welcome to questions (send to: LUNCHDOODLES@kennedy-center.org) which he will try to answer during sessions. For sessions of Lunch Doodles, visit https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL14hRqd0PELGbKihHuTqx_pbvCLqGbOkF.

Paulo Coelho’s books online

Best-selling author Paulo Coelho has made his books available for free. Titles include: The Way of the Bow, The Manuscript Found in Accra, and Brida. Visit his blog at https://paulocoelhoblog.com/books-online/.

Shakespeare plays online

Shakespeare’s plays recorded at the Globe Theater are now available for online streaming. Titles include Hamlet and The Two Noble Kinsmen. To watch, visit https://globeplayer.tv/

Learn at home with Scholastic

Scholastic is offering free online courses for levels pre-kindergarten to Grade 6. Duration of the courses is approximately three hours per day. They include writing, research projects, and virtual field trips. The website is accessible on any device. Visit https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html

Free opera streaming online

OperaWire will host Nightly Met Opera Streams of the Metropolitan Opera for free. The performances begin at 7:30 p.m. EST and will be available to stream for 20 hours. Visit https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-to-offer-up-nightly-met-opera-streams/. The Paris Opera is also streaming operas for free. Visit https://www.operadeparis.fr/.

Free films on YouTube

Catch Filipino films for free on the following channels: Regal Entertainment (https://www.youtube.com/user/regalcinema/featured); Cinema One Originals (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzggCZVkynvnjNV29L9EccA); and TBA Studios (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChh0rmwGvToBd3owvN2vRMg).

Free online courses

Enjoy 1,500 free online courses from leading universities such as Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and more. Download the audio and video courses (from iTunes, YouTube, or university websites). Topics include archeology, art, finance, writing, law, health, religion, mathematics, and personality development. Visit http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses.

Online yoga classes

YogaPlus offers daily yoga classes via Facebook live. For schedules, visit https://www.facebook.com/yogaplusph/.

Free Broadway performances online

Enjoy your favorite Broadway performances online for a limited time at https://www.broadwayhd.com/.

Virtual tours

Explore museums around the world through virtual tours: the Solomon R. Guggenheim https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/solomon-r-guggenheim-museum?hl=en; the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour/current-exhibits); the Louvre Museum (https://www.youvisit.com/tour/louvremuseum). View animals such as otters, penguins, turtles, and corals on live camera at https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams

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