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PSE index ends lower on selling due to virus fears

By Denise A. Valdez, Reporter

THE MAIN INDEX closed lower on Monday as most investors opted to sell due to fears amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slid 35.39 points or 0.74% to 4,743.37 yesterday, as the broader all shares index fell 21.63 points or 0.73% to 2,927.02.

“We saw heavy selling at the open which has been the trend since the beginning of the month. The lack of buying at the open drove prices much lower which allowed more bargain hunting,” AAA Southeast Equities, Inc. Research Head Christopher John Mangun said in an e-mail.

“Most investors are waiting on the sidelines as the House of Representatives held a hearing today on giving special powers to the executive branch to counter the negative effects of the pandemic,” he said on Monday.

Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Associate Piper Chaucer E. Tan said the market is still holding the 4,500 initial support level as it remains volatile.

“Investors are still on the ‘risk-off’ sentiment… In the fixed income market, investors (also) opted to be liquid rather than get into it,” he said in a text message.

The tally of COVID-19 cases continues to rise all over the world. In the Philippines, the Department of Health reported 462 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of yesterday afternoon. Some 33 have been killed by the disease while 18 have recovered from it.

Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said the drop in local shares is also due to the anticipation of investors for an aid package in the United States.

“Local shares dropped as investors wait for Washington to agree to an economic stimulus and rescue plan to combat the giant economic blow from the coronavirus outbreak,” he said in a mobile message yesterday.

Back home, sectoral indices at the PSE were divided among gainers and losers yesterday. Mining and oil rose 152 points or 4.05% to 3,897.47; holding firms improved 41.55 points or 0.90% to 4,643.61; and services climbed 3.38 points or 0.32% to 1,041.09.

On the other hand, financials lost 59.56 points or 5.11% to 1,104.13; industrials shaved off 82.40 points or 1.36% to 5,940.25; and property went down 27.73 points or 1.12% to 2,440.60.

Value turnover stood at P5.68 billion with 413.31 million issues switching hands, down from last Friday’s P6.66 billion with 659.47 million issues.

Decliners beat advancers, 133 against 55, while 35 names ended unchanged. Net foreign selling was trimmed to P443.77 million from P654.70 million on Friday.

“We may continue to see the PSEi trade between 4,500 and 5,000 unless we see a spike in volatility,” AAA Southeast Equities’ Mr. Mangun said.

“Although almost a third of the total infected have recovered, some believe that we have not seen the worst. This uncertainty will continue to hound investors and cause a risk-off sentiment,” he added.

DoH reports biggest daily rise in COVID-19 infections to 462

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporter

THE Department of Health (DoH) on Monday reported the biggest daily increase of 82 novel coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing the total infections to 462, while the death tally rose by eight to 33.

The agency also said 18 patients have recovered from the virus so far.

DoH on Sunday said confirmed cases could artificially shoot up in the next few days as laboratories expand their capacities and come out with test results faster.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte locked down Luzon on March 16 to contain the COVID-19 virus that has sickened about 342,000 people worldwide, killing almost 15,000, mostly in China.

About 99,000 patients globally have gotten well.

The Health department said eight more patients aged 56 to 89 died, while one more patient — a 56-year-old Filipino male who is also hypertensive — recovered.

Also yesterday, the agency ruled out mass testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) because resources are not enough.

“Mass testing is not advisable for us because of our limited resources,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire told DzBB radio in Filipino.

She said other countries had managed to hold coronavirus mass testing because their quarantines were strictly implemented.

The Philippines took delivery of 100,000 COVID-19 test kits from China two days ago.

Ms. Vergeire said the government must strictly enforce the Luzon-wide lockdown ordered by President Rodrigo R. Duterte on March 16.

Mr. Duterte first imposed a community quarantine on Metro Manila, suspending classes and limiting the movement of people to and from the capital and nearby cities.

He later expanded the lockdown to the entire Luzon island, suspending public transportation and work in both the government and private sector to contain the outbreak.

The University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health has developed a detection kit that is still being field-tested.

Ms. Vergeire also said the government does not recommend rapid testing because it could give false negative results.

Also yesterday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said 153 Filipinos overseas had tested positive for the virus. The agency said one had died, 66 were being treated and 86 have recovered.

Labor dep’t says 100,000 workers got displaced

MORE than 100,000 workers have been temporarily displaced after the entire Luzon island was locked down to contain a novel coronavirus outbreak, according to the Labor department.

In a report, the agency said 111,789 workers from more than 2,000 establishments had been affected by the contagion and government restrictions.

It said 2,317 companies with 108,620 workers had been enforcing flexible work arrangements and temporary closures, while 3,169 Filipino workers overseas had either returned home, were displaced or stranded because of travel restrictions.

Companies affected by the health crisis were from the manufacturing, hotel, food and other tourism-related sectors, according to the report.

Affected workers were the highest in the National Capital Region at 46,213, followed by Central Luzon with 21,964, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Batangas and Quezon) with 19,486 and Western Visayas with 12,470.

Other affected regions were Central Visayas (4,610 workers), Davao Region (1,989), Zamboanga Peninsula (1,033) and Soccsksargen (825). — Gillian M. Cortez

DoH says there’s no VIP treatment for politicians

HEALTH authorities on Monday denied allegations that they had given preferential treatment to local politicians in testing them for the virus.

“The Department of Health (DoH) assures the public that there is no policy for VIP treatment and that all specimens are being processed on a first-in, first-out basis,” it said in a statement. Officials holding positions of national security were accorded “courtesy,” it added.

Social media netizens have criticized lawmakers and other politicians for undergoing tests even if some of them did not show symptoms.

The Health department earlier claimed the politicians had been eligible under old criteria that tested people who either had exposure or travel history.

It has since changed the criteria by prioritizing patients under investigation who are elderly, with underlying conditions and whose immune systems are compromised, it said.

The agency said “more cases will be detected and appropriately managed” as more test kits arrive and more laboratories are equipped to examine samples. The DoH has taken delivery of 100,000 testing kits donated by China.

Five national sub-laboratories were now processing 50 to 300 tests daily together with the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), DoH said on Saturday.

These laboratories are San Lazaro Hospital and Baguio General Hospital & Medical Center in Luzon; Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in the Visayas; and Southern Philippines Medical Center in Mindanao.

The Western Visayas Medical Center and Bicol Public Health Laboratory will undergo proficiency testing for a week before these can start testing samples.

Also yesterday, Philippine General Hospital Director Gerardo D. Legaspi said they have agreed to turn the hospital into a referral center that will handle COVID-19 patients.

“A scaling up system of preparation was agreed upon so as not to severely hamper the COVID-19 referral centers’ services to their currently admitted patients,” he said at a separate briefing. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

#COVID-19 Regional Updates (03/23/20)

Arming barangay health workers

Face masks and hygiene kits are ready for distribution to the barangay health workers and health centers in Las Piñas on March 23 as part of Rep. Camille A. Villar’s assistance to frontliners in the fight against the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

ICCC set up as lodging for Iloilo City’s health workers after reported discrimination

M.TRENAS/ICCC COLLEGE ADMINISTRATOR

THE ILOILO City Community College (ICCC) has been set up as temporary lodging for medical field workers following reported discrimination by their lessors and even eateries. Donations for “mattresses, beddings, pillows, food and water, and other voluntary services” were immediately delivered to ICCC after Mayor Jerry P. Treñas posted a call for help on his Facebook page on March 22. “I have been receiving messages that our fellow Ilonggos in the medical field are being discriminated. Buses reject them, karinderyas (eateries) won’t sell to them, their landlords evicted them. We should not allow this to happen,” he wrote. “Please keep in mind that if they cannot eat or sleep well, they cannot go to work. Who will take care of you if you will be infected? Would you also want them to treat you the same?,” he added. One of the two COVID-19 confirmed cases in Western Visayas Region, as of March 21, is being treated at a hospital in Iloilo City, the regional center. As of March 22, the ICCC had 72 beds available for health workers, particularly for those assigned at the Western Visayas Medical Center, The Medical City, and the West Visayas State University Medical Center. On March 23, another 500 mattresses were donated by Grand Xing and 100 from Dewfoam.

Quarantine island

WESTMINCON

The uninhabited island of Sibakil in Basilan is temporarily serving as quarantine area for some 200 Filipinos, including at least 10 children, who returned from neighboring parts of Malaysia but their boats were denied entry at ports around the western Mindanao area based on COVID-19 protocols. “The military’s intervention was brought about by reports of Filipinos returning from Malaysia. Under the presidential proclamation, we have to accept them, but they have to undergo quarantine procedures,” Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) Commander Lt. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana said in a statement. “That is why we organized a team that did the reconnaissance and inspection, and we decided that Sibakil is the most conducive.” Tents, food, hygiene kits, and other basic necessities are being provided by WestMincom, and the Zamboanga Peninsula regional offices of the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The 14-day quarantine started March 20.

Nationwide round-up

Arrest warrant out for KAPA leaders on non-bailable charge before CDO court

THE LEADERS of Kapa-Community Ministry International (KAPA) are facing a new arrest warrant, this time from the regional trial court (RTC) of Cagayan de Oro City on charges that are non-bailable. In a statement Monday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it has recently been informed that KAPA Founder and President Joel A. Apolinario has been charged a non-bailable offense of syndicated estafa. Eight others involved in KAPA who have been charged are: Junnie G. Apolinario, Maria Pella B. Sevilla, Cristobal R. Barabad, Nonita S. Urbano, Nelia V. Nino, Jouelyn A. Del Castillo, Joji A. Jusay and Albert P. Buhangbuhang. KAPA had been flagged by the SEC as “what could be the largest investment scam in the Philippines in recent years.” The arrest warrant of the Cagayan de Oro City RTC was given to its officers on Feb. 18. KAPA is being charged for ‘willfully, unlawfully and criminally’ engaging in the selling of securities without being registered with the SEC, which is in violation of Republic Act No. 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code. Some KAPA officers have been issued arrest warrants by the RTC of Bislig City earlier this year. These are Mr. Apolinario, KAPA Corporate Secretary Reyna L. Apolinario, Trustee Margie A. Danao, and promoters Reniones D. Catubigan, Marisol S. Diaz, Adelfa Fernandico and Moises Mopia. Mr. and Mrs. Apolinario posted bail on Feb. 19 while Mr. Catubigan on Feb. 27. KAPA, supposedly a religious group, has collected an estimated P50 billion from five million members when the SEC ordered its closure last year. It solicits money in the form of “donations” with promised monthly returns of 30% as “blessings.”— Denise A. Valdez

SSS, GSIS to continue processing claims

THE SOCIAL Security System (SSS) for private sector workers and the Government Social Insurance System (GSIS) will continue processing claims and provide benefits ahead of scheduled dates despite the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. In a radio interview on Monday, SSS Media Affairs Department Manager Fernan Nicolas and GSIS Executive Vice President Nora M. Malubay assured that their online services are available and a skeleton workforce is in place to attend to their members’ needs. Mr. Nicolas said that applications for salary loans and the calamity assistance program will still be received by the SSS through the agency’s website. “Nandiyan pa rin yung (The) salary loan online (is available). Ngayon po ay pinaplanstya na yung para doon sa (We are currently sorting out the) calamity assistance program,” Mr. Nicolas said. SSS members who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are also entitled to the unemployment insurance benefits. Mr. Nicolas also noted that SSS has already requested banks to release the monthly pension of members during the first week of April. For GSIS, Ms. Malubay said the agency has implemented work from home arrangements to enable its employees to process claims and benefits of members. GSIS is preparing to release an emergency loan of P20,000 per member nationwide. Ms. Malubay also noted that the monthly pension benefits, which are usually released every 8th of every month, will be given to members earlier than the usual deadline. — Genshen L. Espedido

DoTr to decide on motorcycle taxi operations after Luzon quarantine period

PHILSTAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation’s technical working group will discuss the fate of the motorcycle taxi pilot run, which expired on March 23, after the month-long quarantine period imposed in the entire Luzon island. “We will discuss that after the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine),” Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope O. Libiran told reporters via chat on Monday. President Rodrigo R. Duterte placed the entire island of Luzon under enhanced community quarantine until April 12 as a measure to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In line with this, the government has suspended public transportation, including the operations of motorcycle taxis such as Angkas (DBDOYC, Inc.), JoyRide (We Move Things Philippines, Inc.) and Move It (We-Load Transcargo Corp.) in Metro Manila. Delivery services, which the three companies provide, continue to operate. The use of motorcycle as a new mode of public transportation is being pilot-tested in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro City. The Land Transportation and Traffic Code does not allow single motorcycles to operate for public transport. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Electronics exporters donate factory protective gear to medical workers

ELECTRONICS EXPORTERS are donating factory protective gear as well as cash assistance to medical institutions and communities as the country deals with the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threat. Semiconductors and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Incorporated (SEIPI) President Danilo C. Lachica said in a mobile message on Monday that exporters have given around P500,000 in personal protective equipment (PPE) and monetary donations so far. “The companies have donated directly to their respective community hospitals for PPE and food for communities,” he said. Donated equipment include powder gloves, face masks, isolation gowns, and bunny suits or cleanroom suits from factory stock. Mr. Lachica also said SEIPI has been working with government in setting up its minimal workforce arrangements for member companies during the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. Export-oriented and outsourcing companies are permitted to operate during the lockdown on the condition that the companies apply social distancing measures and provide temporary accommodation for workers. Companies that have donated so far include Active Microtechnology Solutions Inc., Nidec Corp., Test Solution Services Inc., ROHM Electronics Philippines Inc. Excelitas Technologies Philippines Inc., Testech Group, Amkor Technology Philippines INC., Maxim Philippine Operating Corp., Nexperia Philippines Inc., Western Digital Company, and ON Semiconductor Philippines ,Inc. — Jenina P. Ibañez

IOC tackles fate of Tokyo Games:Decision expected in next four weeks

ATHENS — The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is stepping up its “scenario planning” for the Tokyo 2020 Games — including a possible postponement — as the coronavirus pandemic spreads, it said after an emergency meeting on Sunday.

The IOC will hold discussions that will include an option of putting back the July 24 start date or even moving the Games by a year or more due to the global coronavirus outbreak, but said canceling the Games would not solve problems or help anybody.

“Therefore, cancellation is not on the agenda,” the IOC said in a statement, adding that the detailed discussions would be completed within the next four weeks.

The Olympics has never been postponed or canceled during peacetime but the IOC’s decision to even consider postponement was met with relief from several major stakeholders, including World Athletics, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and major national Olympic committees.

Under mounting pressure from athletes, federations and national committees to postpone the Games, the IOC did a partial U-turn on Sunday after long insisting, with Tokyo organizers, that the Games would go ahead as planned.

The IPC, whose Tokyo Paralympics are set for Aug. 25 to Sept. 6, said the IOC took the right decision under the circumstances.

“The next four weeks will provide time to see if the global health situation improves, while giving a window of opportunity to look into different scenarios should the dates of the Games need to be changed,” IPC President Andrew Parsons said.

World Athletics, the sport’s global governing body, said it was ready to work “with the IOC and all sport on an alternative date.”

More than 13,000 people have died globally since the coronavirus outbreak began and its epicenter is now in Europe.

Opposition to holding the Games in July has risen sharply in the past 48 hours, with several major stakeholders such as US Track and Field and UK Athletics along with several national Olympic committees, calling for a delay because of the pandemic.

They have raised several issues in the past week with the IOC, including athletes’ inability to prepare due to restrictions caused by the virus and their overall safety.

Regarding the next steps in scenario planning, the IOC statement said: “These scenarios relate to modifying existing operational plans for the Games to go ahead on 24 July 2020, and also for changes to the start date of the Games.

“The IOC will … start detailed discussions to complete its assessment of the rapid development of the worldwide health situation and its impact on the Olympic Games, including the scenario of postponement.

“The IOC is confident that it will have finalized these discussions within the next four weeks.”

RAPID DECISION
The British Olympic Association (BOA) welcomed the news but said a quick decision on the Games was now necessary.

“We welcome the IOC Executive Board decision to review the options in respect of a postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” BOA chairman Hugh Robertson said.

“However, we urge rapid decision making for the sake of athletes who still face significant uncertainty.

“Restrictions now in place have removed the ability of athletes to compete on a level playing field and it simply does not seem appropriate to continue on the present course towards the Olympic Games in the current environment.”

The USOPC, which has been supportive of the IOC’s wait-and-see position, expressed a different tone to the latest update saying in a statement it welcomed some clarity but did little to address growing uncertainty and athlete anxiety.

“The progress reflected in today’s IOC update to the global athlete community is an important step in providing clarity, but our athlete community continues to face enormous ambiguity surrounding the 2020 Games in Tokyo,” said USOPC Chief Executive Sarah Hirshland and USOPC athletes advisory council chair Han Xiao in a joint statement.

“Having spent countless hours communicating with IOC leadership, our peers around the world, our NGBs and the athletes we serve, we know the difficult obstacles ahead and we are all appreciative that the IOC has heard our concerns and needs, and is working to address them as quickly as possible.”

In a letter addressed to athletes, IOC President Thomas Bach tried to explain the IOC’s insistence in the past weeks to proceed as planned, saying moving the Games could not happen from one day to the next and many parts had to be looked at.

“I think I can feel with those among you who consider the situation to be unsatisfactory,” Mr. Bach said.

“I know that this unprecedented situation leaves many of your questions open. I also know this rational approach may not be in line with the emotions many of you have to go through.

“A decision about a postponement today could not determine a new date for the Olympic Games because of the uncertain developments in both directions: an improvement … in a number of countries … or a deteriorating situation in other countries.”

CANADA PULLS OUT
Meanwhile, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Paralympic Committee (CPC) said on Sunday that Team Canada will not participate in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer of 2020 due to concerns about the outbreak of the coronavirus.

“The COC and CPC urgently call on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to postpone the Games for one year and we offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring,” the committees said in a statement.

“While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community,” it added.

The organizing committee will be holding a news conference in Tokyo later on Monday. — Reuters

The Candidates Tournament

FIDE Candidates Tournament
Yekaterinburg, Russia
March 15-April 5, 2020

Current Standings (round 4 of 14)

1-3 Ian Nepomniachtchi RUS 2774, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave FRA 2767, Wang Hao CHN 2762, 2.5/4

4-5 Alexander Grischuk RUS 2777, Fabiano Caruana USA 2482, 2.0/4

6-8 Kirill Alekseenko RUS 2698, Anish Giri NED 2763, Ding Liren CHN 2805, 1.5/4

Average Rating 2774 Category 21

Time Control: 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 50 minutes for the next 20 moves, then 15 minutes for the rest of the game with 30 seconds added to the clocks after every move starting move 1.

Special Rules: No draw offers allowed until after move 40.

Tie Breaks: The following are used to break a tie for 1st place: (1) Direct encounter, (2) Wins, (3) Sonneborn-Berger. If they are still tied after the three systems are applied then a playoff beginning with four 25-minute games is played.

The Candidates Tournament finally started and, thanks to the coronavirus outbreak, it is the only major sporting event taking place right now. The participants are:

• Fabiano Caruana — runner-up of the world championship match 2018

• Teimour Radjabov — winner of the 2019 World Cup

• Ding Liren – runner-up of the 2019 World Cup

• Wang Hao — qualifier from the FIDE Grand Swiss

• Alexander Grischuk — winner of the FIDE Grand Prix

• Ian Nepomniachtchi — runner-up of the FIDE Grand Prix

• Anish Giri — highest rated player not otherwise qualified

• Kirill Alekseenko — organizers’ nominee

This is an eight-player double round-robin that will decide Magnus Carlsen’s challenger for the World Championship match that’s set to take place in Dubai this December. The 14-round event is being played in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Yekaterinburg, Russia from 17 March to 3 April 2020. The prize fund is €500,000.

GM Teimour Radjabov, the winner of the 2019 World Cup, withdrew from the tournament 2 weeks before it started on corona virus pandemic fears and he was immediately replaced by the Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Of this we will have a lot to say later, mostly on the topic why wasn’t MVL in the candidates in the first place? Anyway I don’t think anyone will miss Radjabov’s 14 draws and will much prefer GM Maxime’s Sicilian Najdorf assaults and Gruenfeld counter-attacks.

The second seed Ding Liren had a terrible start by losing his first two games. He then recovered by defeating the top seed Fabiano Caruana in the third round. Now he is one point behind the leaders with 10 rounds to go. Not yet out of reach.

Ding, Liren (2805) — Caruana, Fabiano (2842) [D17]
FIDE Candidates Tournament Yekaterinburg (3.1), 19.03.2020

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6

Ding: “My friends and coach all give me a lot of help. They encourage me to keep fighting. As he played the Slav at one point I wanted to play cd and make a quick draw but then I think it’s not my style and I have to play for the most critical line.”

3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5

The text and 6.e3 are the two usual moves here. Ding is a known advocate of 6.Ne5 so it is expected that Caruana is booked up against it.

6…e6

The Alexander Morozevich line, 6…Nbd7 going directly for …e7–e5, is a popular continuation. After 7.Nxc4 Qc7 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4 Nfd7 11.Bg2 and now either 11…f6 or 11…g5 leads to a fighting game.

7.f3 Bb4 8.Nxc4

The usual continuation here is 8.e4 while 8.Bg5 is another possibility that Black has to be aware of.

8…0–0 9.Kf2 <D>

POSITION AFTER 9.KF2

Eight years ago Ding defeated Mark Paragua with this “rare but poisonous approach” as remarked by GM Ruslan Scherbakov when he annotated this game for chesspublishing.com. According to him “it is not so clear how Black can equalize at the moment…” I think definitely Caruana would have something planned against this.

9…e5!?

And right away we see Caruana’s preparation — a quite fantastic move! He is trying to open up the position before White finishes his development. In the Ding vs Paragua game we alluded to earlier Mark continued quite sensibly with 9…Bg6 10.e4 Qc7 11.Qb3 c5 12.Na2 Nc6 13.Nxb4 cxb4 14.Be3 Rfd8 15.Rd1 Rd7 (increasing the pressure on the d4–pawn) 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Rxd1 18.Qxd1 Qxe5 19.Qd4! Qa5 20.Be2 Qxa4 21.Rc1 Black is up by two pawns but White has more than enough compensation. Ding, L. (2679)-Paragua, M. (2521) Ho Chi Minh City 2012 1–0 41.

10.Nxe5

Taking with the pawn, incidentally opening up the g1–a7 diagonal, is I think what Black was hoping for. There will follow 10.dxe5 Nfd7 11.e4 Be6 this position has to be studied further but it looks like Black is fine.

10…Bc2! 11.Qd2

White cannot take the bishop: 11.Qxc2 Qxd4+ 12.e3 (12.Be3 Qxe5 followed by …Re8 and the e3–bishop has to move again) 12…Qxe5 13.g3 Black has no problems at all, and at no material investment.

11…c5 12.d5

Going passive with 12.e3 is also feasible but not suited for Ding’s dynamic style. After 12…Bg6 White’s center remains under pressure 13.d5 (of course 13.e4? cxd4 wins) 13…Nbd7 14.Nc4 Be4! already wins back the pawn.

12…Bb3

[12…Be4!? was another possibility. Perhaps White’s best is to continue 13.g4! (13.Qd1 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Bxd5 15.e4 Qe7! material parity has been restored and both sides have chances; 13.fxe4? Nxe4+ 14.Nxe4 Bxd2 15.Nxd2 Qh4+ Black wins back one of his pieces) 13…Qe8 (13…Re8 14.Nxf7 Kxf7 15.g5) 14.g5 Qxe5 15.gxf6 Qxf6 16.h4 it looks like White is about to push Black’s forces back and mount an attack himself on the enemy king]

13.e4 Re8 14.Qf4

Ding had already used up an hour here whereas Caruana was still blitzing, but it was time well spent as the Chinese GM had to navigate a lot of pitfalls here two of which are:

• 14.Qg5? Nxe4+! 15.fxe4 Qxg5 16.Bxg5 Rxe5 17.Bf4 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Rxe4 Black is doing very well;

• 14.Nc4? Rxe4!

14…c4!? 15.Nxc4

[15.Bxc4 Bd6! 16.Qe3 (16.Bxb3?? Qb6+ 17.Be3 (17.Qe3 Bc5–+) 17…Qxb3) 16…Nbd7 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.Qe2 (18.Bxb3 Bc5) 18…Bc5+ 19.Kf1 Bxc4 20.Qxc4 Qh4 Black has a strong attack]

15…Nbd7

To be followed up by …Rc8 forcing out white’s knight on c4 followed by …Qb6+

16.Be3 Nf8 17.Bd4!

Ding Liren has managed to navigate the complications well. Just to show that Caruana was still in his preparation his clock shows 100 minutes left, which is exactly the time he had at the beginning of the game.

17…Ng6?!

Maybe Fabi forgot to insert the moves 17…Rc8 18.Ne3 here? Because then the continuation he chooses in the game is even stronger: (18.Ne5? Ne6!) 18…Ng6 19.Qf5 (19.Qg3 Bxc3 20.bxc3 Rxe4!) 19…Bc5 20.Bxc5 Rxc5 we have a much better version of what happens in the game.

18.Qf5 Bxc4

Caruana took six minutes here considering this move. A sign that something is wrong.

19.Bxc4 Qc7 20.Be2 Bc5 21.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 22.Kf1 h6?

Definitely a mistake. Ding: “Since he played so quickly and I was down more than one hour after the opening I don’t know where he went wrong but [perhaps something] instead of h6. It’s a very strange position but during the game I was very worried about my position although I didn’t see a clear way to play for him since he was still in his preparation I thought there might be something wrong with my play.”

Fabi should have played2 2…Re5! The game will continue 23.Qh3 Qb4 24.Rb1 Nf4 25.Qg3 N6h5 26.Qf2 f5 Black still has an attack.

23.Rd1! Qb6 24.Rd2 Qe3 25.Rc2 a6 26.Qh3

Ding wants to bring his queen to f2.

26…b5 27.Qg3!

“At this point I thought my position was much better.” (Ding)

27…b4 28.Nd1 Qb3 29.Rd2 Qxa4 30.Qf2 Qd7 31.g3

And now the objective of course is to bring out his last remaining undeveloped piece, his rook.

31…Qh3+ 32.Kg1 a5 33.Qd4 Nh5 34.Nf2 Qd7 35.f4 Nhxf4

Desperation.

36.gxf4 Nxf4 37.Kf1 Qd6 38.Rg1

Threatening mate on g7.

38…f6 39.Bb5 Re7 40.b3 Rf8 41.Rc2 Ne6 42.Qe3 Ng5 43.h4 Nf7 44.Rc6 Qb8 45.Qc5 Qd8 46.Rxf6 Kh8 47.Rf5 Rc7 48.Bc6 a4 49.bxa4 b3 50.Rg3 b2 51.Rb3 Nd6 52.Rxf8+ Qxf8 53.Rxb2 Qf4 54.Rb8+ Kh7 55.Qc2 Re7 56.e5+ Nf5 57.Qe4 Qc1+ 58.Kg2 g6 59.Rb3 1–0

What a waste of a brilliant opening novelty!

 

Bobby Ang is a founding member of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and its first Executive Director. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), he taught accounting in the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.

bobby@cpamd.net

Coping up

Community quarantine measures are disruptive to all and sundry for obvious reasons. When it comes to athletes, however, the change can be nothing short of unnerving. National Basketball Association players, in particular, have encountered no small measure of difficulty adjusting to the new normal for the immediate term. Prior to the suspension of the 2019-20 campaign, they were deep in competition and ready for the stretch run through the last fifth of the regular-season schedule. Now, they’re compelled to stay at home and away from practice facilities, unsure of when they can take to the court anew.

It goes without saying that they’re keeping fit — as best they can, that is. Outside of the ideal, they’re enjoined to come up with some semblance of a routine that has their bodies toned. And even as they work out while in the comfort of their homes, they presumably continue watching over their diet. Uncertainty, after all, goes both ways. Barring total cancellation, the games will resume at some point in the future, and they need to hit the ground running if they’re bent on finishing strong. In this regard, those ingrained in exerting effort even during supposed downtimes have the advantage.

That said, there will be lulls, long lulls, and the players’ nature brings them closer to whiling the time away in pursuits that get their competitive juices flowing. Not a few of the younger set, for instance, have taken to online gaming — and not necessarily in hoops. NBA 2K20 remains popular, but so is Call of Duty. And they’re good. In fact, they believe they’re good enough with their thumbs to put up streaming videos of their virtual exploits. Ask the Hawks’ Trae Young or the Suns’ Devin Booker, or even the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, hitherto alien to Twitch.

Meanwhile, plenty others resort to watching highlights of old games. Some watch their own reels, while others turn to those of legends. In any case, their imperatives are clear: they fight ennui, but make sure to stay safe in so doing. From the Raptors’ Serge Ibaka hosting a cooking show on Twitter to the Grizzlies’ Ja Morant doing his unique introduction of starting lineups on TikTok, social media has become a tool to connect. And, needless to say, the fans appreciate the outputs. Everybody’s down with the program, so to speak, and certainly in for the long haul.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

alcuaycong@bworldonline.com

Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar readies essential supplies for barangay health workers, military personnel fighting against spread of COVID-19

The Office of Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar preps face masks and hygiene kits – soaps, alcohols and sanitizers – for distribution to barangay health workers and barangay health centers and offices in Las Piñas today. Recently, the office of Rep. Villar also distributed food packs to health workers, and hospital and military personnel who are at the frontline of the country’s fight against the spread of COVID-19.

 

Tips on managing a thriving remote workforce from Kalibrr’s CEO

Working from home has turned from a simple working option for some to a necessity for most as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and government-mandated quarantine.

To help companies with this setup, Paul Rivera, ex-Googler and Kalibrr co-founder, recommends these easy-to-implement tips to ensure employee well-being, accountability, and productivity as they work remotely.

Access to tools and technology

Everyone should have access to the same set of tools – in our case, laptops, company email addresses, phones/SIM cards for our sales team, access to cloud storage (Google Drive / Dropbox), access to the company-wide project management tool (like Trello), and in some cases, subsidized access to the internet.

Align on what communication channels to use

Communication is a critical piece to make sure that working remotely goes as smoothly as possible. Are you going to use Skype, Slack, Viber, or Telegram? Whatever you choose, make sure that you clearly and deliberately assign specific channels that you’ll be using to talk to your employees.

Create concrete communication and operational guidelines

Once you’ve identified the right channels, you’ll need to establish guidelines. This can include how much time is allotted to respond to messages and emails together with set break times for when slowed down responses should be anticipated. Objectives and their milestones should be communicated using the channels and methods above. It’s also easy to overdo work from home – work from home shouldn’t mean that your team is always working.

Set processes for “reporting to work”

The whole company should treat this as if they are going to work – showering, dressing and all of the pre-work rituals should continue to be observed. Regular work hours should be followed so you shouldn’t have to ask employees to “check-in.” However, if you’re new to this, asking your employees to send in an email message or message to your group that they’re already online and working can quickly ease this administrative burden.

Assign a skeletal workforce

Not all companies will be able to completely implement a work-from-home setup. Having a skeletal workforce responsible for continuing day-to-day business operations will be helpful to minimize both health risks and business losses.

Communicate your work arrangement to your clients

Make sure to set expectations with your clients and partners in line with the work arrangement you’ll be implementing. Sending an email signed by management to these stakeholders can be greatly appreciated.

End-of-day / End-of-week check-in

Working remotely should not reduce your overall business productivity. Asking your team to send in an end-of-day report that outlines what they’ve accomplished for the day helps you keep track of company goals but at the same time helps employees manage their own responsibilities better. Better yet, if you use a project management tool like Trello, the reports should happen within the system you’ve already established while you were all working in the office.

Create a remote culture

Invest in building a shared remote culture, with norms, values and ceremonies as if you were all together in the office. If it is someone’s birthday, it should still be celebrated, albeit on a video chat with a virtual birthday cake. In addition, create an accountability culture where team members collaborate, are transparent and invest in each other’s success.

Trust and Empathy

Trust that people will get their work done and understand if they need help. This is probably going to be the hardest part for many companies but engendering trust can go a long way to making this work for your company. Make sure your employees feel empowered to speak up if something isn’t working for them and you should also speak up if it isn’t working for you.

Recommended Free Tools:

  • Video conferencing: Zoom / Google Hangouts / Skype / Discord
  • Project management: Trello / Notion
  • Communication: Viber / WhatsApp / Telegram / Messenger / Google Hangouts Chat
  • Whiteboard: Jamboard, Miro, Whimsical

Pandemic or not, being open and trusting of employees will also encourage them to be more accountable for their business contributions as they work from home.

“With the amount of technology available, the future of work isn’t necessarily everyone in one office from 9PM to 6PM, watching the clock,” Paul says. “The future of work is an empowered team, who you trust and who hold each other accountable, with the right tools to be productive, regardless of where they may be.”

____________________________________________________

Kalibrr is a technology company that aims to transform how candidates find jobs and how companies hire talent. Placing the candidate experience at the center of everything it does, the company continues to attract the best talent from all over, with almost three million professionals and counting. Kalibrr ultimately connects these talents to companies in search of their next generation of leaders.

You can sign up for Kalibrr here. For more business and recruiter advice, follow Kalibrr on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Five effective ways to motivate your sales team

Motivation is key to unlocking the potential of your sales force, enabling each member to contribute to the success of a business. As a sales manager or director, it is important to keep your team members motivated and get them excited about reaching their potential to drive business performance and achieve goals.

Motivating your sales force, however, is not always easy. In fact, there is no one-size-fit-all approach to employee motivation, especially when each person requires different incentives and motivational tactics. Here are five ways to effectively motivate your team and increase their productivity.

1. Build trust

A core ingredient for driving motivation is trust. Trust is established when leaders create an environment of openness and honesty within the team, where employees feel comfortable to share ideas, voice their concerns and collaborate to build effective teams at work. Leaders should also let their employees know that they have their best interests at heart, by diligently listening to their feedback and giving them opportunities to grow and reach their potential. This will cultivate meaningful relationships and give employees a sense of belonging, keeping your sales force motivated to perform well.

2. Cultivate a sense of purpose

Did you know that companies with the highest levels of employee engagement were 22% more profitable and 21% more productive than those with low levels of engagement? One important way of engaging employees is to involve them in the direction and strategic goals of the company. As a leader, it is important to let your employee know how their skills and expertise could complement the team and contribute to the company’s overarching goals. In fact, breaking down silos between departments such as sales, marketing, customer support and IT is a good way of cultivating a sense of purpose among employees, as everyone works together towards a common goal.

3. Set specific and realistic goals

To keep your sales force motivated, leaders need to set specific and realistic goals for their team members, be it around personal or professional development. But remember, setting and monitoring goals is not enough. Leaders need to provide guidance and support in helping them achieve these goals, and do regular check-in to address any pressing issues.

It is also important for leaders to communicate with each team member and figure out what works best for each of them. Different people are motivated in different ways. Some are driven by achieving a quota, while some are motivated by team-wide sales contests or qualitative improvements.

 

4. Provide a healthy work-life balance

Several studies have shown that a healthy and balanced lifestyle is linked to workplace productivity. In fact, the productivity of your team is influenced by the amount of sleep and exercise they get, and their diet among other factors. Therefore, it is important for managers to observe the well-being of each team member, and make work-life balance a priority. This will help create a more loyal and energized workforce, leading to improved performance in the workplace.

5. Create a culture of recognition

Employees feel valued and recognized whenever their leaders appreciate them for their work. From monetary incentives to a simple “Thank you”, recognition and rewards inspire people to constantly do well and increase their productivity at work.

According to a recent study, developing rewards and recognitions programs around prepaid incentives can help employers retain, satisfy and engage their current workforce. In a digital age where cashless payments have improved the purchasing process, companies should consider building a digital incentive program which offer a range of useful options. Companies can issue incentives on a physical or virtual prepaid card, where employees have the option to purchase whatever they want with their bonuses, and enjoy the convenience of digital payments.

Wirecard’s Sales Incentive Card, for instance, is tailored for companies to effectively motivate their sales force. By serving as a tool for employee engagement, this card helps to optimize the performance of sales teams through incentives. Companies have the flexibility of either sending the same sum to multiple recipients or crediting a different amount to each card safely via the Wirecard Enterprise Portal. In addition, the company-branded cards can help to strengthen the brand and increase their staff’s loyalty.

On the other hand, your sales staff do not need a bank account to access their rewards. They can readily spend them anywhere that Mastercard or Visa is accepted, and use the Wirecard’s Payout mobile app to activate their card and check their balance and transactions. If the card should ever be lost or stolen, they can block it quickly and easily.

Ultimately, the success of your sales force depend on a combination of factors that keep them motivated and make them willing to go the extra mile. By leveraging the right strategies and digital incentives, companies can keep their sales representatives loyal, engaged and successful – catapulting your sales to a whole new level.

Learn more about Wirecard Sales Incentive Card here.

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