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Peso declines versus dollar ahead of BSP rate decision

THE PESO weakened anew against the greenback on Thursday as players anticipated a rate cut from the central bank and amid risk-off sentiment due to the sell-off in the stock market.

The local unit closed at P51.10 per dollar yesterday, depreciating by five centavos from its P51.05 finish on Wednesday, according to the data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

The peso opened the session weaker at P51.30 against the dollar. It dropped to as low as P51.38, while its intraday best was at P51.05 versus the greenback.

Dollars traded dropped to $597.08 million from the $712.25 million seen on Wednesday.

A trader attributed the peso’s drop to the market factoring in a rate cut from the central bank, whose decision was due later on Thursday.

“The peso depreciated from market expectations that the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) might deliver a more aggressive 50-bp (basis point) policy rate cut later [on Thursday],” the trader said in an e-mail.

The BSP Monetary Board’s announcement of a 50-bp rate cut came after financial markets closed on Thursday. This brought the yield on the BSP’s reverse repurchase facility to 3.25%, while overnight lending and deposit rates are now at 3.75% and 2.75%, respectively.

A BusinessWorld poll last week saw 12 out of thirteen economists expecting at least a 25-bp cut, with some economists saying a 50-bp reduction could also be on the table amid heightened economic risks due to the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

COVID-19 cases in the Philippines reached 202 as of Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the peso’s close was among its weakest performances in more than two months.

“The peso exchange closed slightly weaker after the latest sell-off in the global stock markets that favored the dollar as a safe haven,” Mr. Ricafort said in a text message.

After a two-day trading halt, the Philippine Stock Exchange index saw a heavy sell-off on Thursday and lost 711.95 points, dropping by 13.34% to 4,623.42.

Today, the trader expects the peso to move within the P51.05 to P51.25 levels, while Mr. Ricafort gave a forecast range of P50.95 to P51.25. — L.W.T. Noble

Shares plummet as trading resumes after halt

LOCAL SHARES crashed to historic lows yesterday as the market recorded heavy sell-offs as it reopened after a two-day shutdown.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dropped 711.95 points or 13.34% to 4,623.42 yesterday. The broader all shares index likewise gave up 390.21 points or 11.92% to 2,881.58.

The local bourse is now implementing shortened trading hours of 9:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. while Luzon is under quarantine until April 13.

The circuit breaker was again triggered yesterday when the PSEi fell 12.4% at the opening bell. The circuit breaker is a 15-minute trading break when the index drops at least 10%, meant to allow investors to rethink their positions.

The main index dropped to as low as 4,039.15 intraday, an “unprecedented” 24.29% drop, and peaked at 4,751.72 before settling at 4,623.42 at the close.

“As expected, the market promptly triggered the circuit breaker almost immediately on open, as two days’ worth of selling pressure was unleashed,” PNB Securities, Inc. President Manuel Antonio G. Lisbona said in a text message.

Value turnover jumped to P9.42 billion with 1.25 billion issues switching hands, compared to Monday’s P6.44 billion with 618.19 million issues.

Foreign outflows ballooned to a net selling of P2.40 billion from P741.72 million in net outflows on Monday.

“Shares plummeted as investors worried about the economic damage from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said.

Wall Street plummeted on Wednesday with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite indices losing 6.30%, 5.18% and 4.70%. Asian markets were mostly in red territory as well.

“With a number of markets still reeling from the pandemic, we may continue to see volatility as uncertainties abound with recession now being entertained globally,” Diversified Securities, Inc. Equity Trader Aniceto K. Pangan said in a text message.

Sectoral indices back home also declined by double digits yesterday. Mining and oil wiped out 802.60 points or 17.74% to 3,720.87; financials dropped 198.24 points or 15.37% to 1,090.95; industrials shaved off 919.47 points or 13.33% to 5,975.43; holding firms cut 669.38 points or 13.11% to 4,435.78; property erased 344.45 points or 12.51% to 2,408.60; and services lost 134.79 points or 11.60% to 1,026.68.

Decliners beat advancers by a landslide, 211 against eight, while 21 names ended unchanged.

“As the local market continues to correct on these uncertainties, investors should continue to be cautious and may continue to accumulate at major support levels on fundamentally sound companies with low valuations especially on market weakness,” Mr. Pangan said. — Denise A. Valdez

Electricity demand drops 30% due to lockdown

POWER demand has fallen about 30% during the Luzon enhanced community quarantine to contain the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), reflecting the decline in power use by shuttered businesses, the Department of Energy (DoE) said late Wednesday.

Energy-related investments, it said, are also expected to be hindered by the lockdown, which has restricted public transport and forced workers in non-exempt industries to stay home.

“The primordial concern right now is to defeat the (COVID-19) crisis,” DoE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said in a statement.

The department asked the energy industry to defer bill collections by 30 days or until after the lockdown period ends on April 14.

On Saturday, the DoE released guidance regarding the continuous delivery of energy, including a pass system and guidance on signage for fuel cargoes to allow them to make it past checkpoints. It has also arranged for fuel imports to land unimpeded.

Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., which has a 45% stake in the Malampaya Deep Water Gas Field, was allowed by the DoE to continue deliveries and allowed free movement for its employees.

Energy Development Corp., which operates 61% of the Philippines’ geothermal capacity, said in a statement that it is maintaining its generating operations to support key industries like hospitals, the pharmaceutical sector, and food manufacturers.

AC Energy Philippines, Inc. disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) that it has adequate fuel inventories for the duration of the lockdown.

The Batangas power plants of Semirara Mining and Power Corp. are also up and running, the company said.

Aboitiz Power Corp. said its fuel supply chain for its power plants remains open, and it is arranging for imported parts to be delivered promptly.

The Manila Electric Co. said it has experienced delays in the delivery of essential parts sourced from China, affecting its operations and maintenance activities.

PetroEnergy Resources Corp. reported that as a result of travel restrictions, its scheduled power plant maintenance by third-party foreign suppliers could be affected.

Greenenergy Holdings, Inc. told the PSE that it has informed the supplier of its solar products to defer shipments to after the quarantine period. — Adam J. Ang

All-industry revenue growth eases in 4th quarter

REVENUE across all industries grew in the fourth quarter, but growth slowed compared to year-earlier levels, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

According to the PSA’s Quarterly Economic Indices (QEI) report, the total gross revenue index, which measures sales generated by all companies, rose 3.5% in the three months to December.

The fourth-quarter reading was the slowest year-on-year growth since the adoption of the 2016 base year.

Four out of eight industries expanded in the fourth quarter but at a lower rate of growth compared to a year earlier. These were trade (7.6% from 12.6%); electricity, gas and water supply (5.2% from 14%); transportation, storage and communication (3.9% from 4.1%); and real estate (5.5% from 8.7%).

Meanwhile, two sectors posted declines during the period: mining and quarrying (-1.6% from -1.7%); and manufacturing (-2.2% from 10.7%).

Bucking the trend were financial and insurance activities and other services, where growth accelerated to 13.7% (from 8%) and 7.3% (6.9%), respectively.

Employment declined 0.2% in the fourth quarter compared to the 3.1% growth logged a year earlier.

Sectors posting growth in employment during the period were: electricity, gas and water supply (0.5%); trade (2%); transportation, storage and communication (1.7%); financial and insurance activities (3.8%); and real estate (2.4%).

Declines were noted in mining and quarrying (-2%); manufacturing (-3.3%); construction (-0.3%); and other services (-0.5%).

Compensation growth accelerated to 4.7% in the fourth quarter from 4.2% a year earlier, led by financial and insurance activities (9%); manufacturing (8.5%); real estate (7%); mining and quarrying (3.9%); electricity, gas and water supply (3.8%); trade (3.8%); other services (2.6%); and construction (2.5%).

On a per-employee basis, compensation grew 4.8% from 1.1% a year earlier.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the slowdown “may be largely brought about by the global economic slowdown” due to the US-China trade war as well as “some spillover effects” of government underspending caused by the delay in the approval of the 2019 national budget.

“The slower global economic growth reduced global trade, including some Philippine exports that, in turn, caused some reduction in local manufacturing and other production activities,” Mr. Ricafort said.

“Reduced government spending especially on infrastructure… may have reduced the sales of local businesses especially those that are part of the supply chains of the various infrastructure projects… that suffered some delays,” he added.

Asked about the accelerated growth in per-employee compensation, Mr. Ricafort said unemployment and underemployment rates have been the lowest in nearly three decades.

In the first quarter of 2020, revenue “could still pick up” with government spending as the major growth driver of the economy for this year.

On the other hand, he noted businesses that scaled down production in view of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon “could experience some reduction” in revenues, as well as result in some reduction in incomes by some workers in adversely-affected industries.

“The supply of food, agricultural products, groceries, and other basic necessities are exempted. Thus, revenue of these exempt businesses could still continue to grow, as an offsetting factor,” the economist said. — Lourdes O. Pilar

Work-from-home surge slowing internet services

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the Luzon-wide lockdown being implemented to contain COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) slowed Internet speeds due to a surge in users.

“Kung may congestion, magkakaroon ng slowdown ng internet natin at minsan mawawala pa (With congestion, Internet speed slows and disappears sometimes)” Undersecretary Eliseo M. Rio, Jr. told BusinessWorld via phone Thursday.

He noted that the improved services by telecommunications companies have helped cushion the impact of the outbreak on their operations.

“Disruptions are happening, (but) in fairness to the telcos, they have improved. Kasi kung two or three years ago nangyari ito (had this happened to or three years ago), it would have been worse,” he said.

Telco service providers have been seeking to ensure continuity of operations to handle the surge of users working from home.

Mr. Rio noted the Philippines has one of the lowest tower densities in Asia, which means Internet congestion is normal during the lockdown period.

“Our tower density is around 6,000 subscribers per tower when the ideal is only supposed to be not more than 1,000,” Mr. Rio noted.

He also asked the public to be patient in the event of outages caused by congestion.

“Our infrastructure is not enough but the department has done something about it. For example, we started adding common towers this year. But it takes time to build towers. Perhaps, we have added 400 towers all over the country,” he said.

The DICT has been pushing for telcos to share infrastructure since 2017.

The government is hoping 50,000 shareable towers will be built within the next seven to 10 years to close the tower density gap with neighboring countries. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Emerging markets deemed ‘high risk’ during outbreak — Capital Economics

EMERGING MARKETS in Southeast Asia are deemed “high risk” during the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak due to the concentration of populations in urban areas, weak health care systems and flawed quarantine protocols, think tank Capital Economics said.

“Extremely dense populations in urban areas, poor health care provision and limited ability to impose quarantine measures mean that countries in South and Southeast Asia, as well as Egypt and Nigeria, look highly exposed to a large-scale coronavirus outbreak,” Capital Economics said in its Emerging Markets Economics note published Thursday.

While emerging countries have reported relatively low infection levels, the think tank attributed this to warmer climates and limited testing, adding that the actual number of cases “is almost certainly higher.

It said the state of a health care system is a key factor in early detection but noted that health care spending relative to gross domestic product (GDP) is “extremely low in Nigeria, South Asia and South-East Asia, and not much higher in Turkey or Egypt.”

According to World Bank data, health care spending in the Philippines accounted for 4.39% of GDP in 2016, compared to the world average of 10.02%.

“Another determinant is the density of the population in urban areas. Based on this, much of South and South-East Asia looks vulnerable. Ten of the 15 most-densely populated cities in the world are in these regions — and five of those are in India alone. There are vulnerabilities in other major EMs too,” the think tank said.

It said that strict quarantine policies “are less likely to be successfully” implemented in many emerging markets “due to weak governance, poor housing, and large informal sectors.

“The economic effects of containment measures will depend both on the decisions by consumers and firms, and the relative size of sectors vulnerable to social distancing,” it said.

Following the 30-day lockdown in Luzon island which accounts for around 70% of Philippine GDP, Capital Economics said in its note that “consumption, the main driver of the economy, is set to slump.”

“These measures will probably be extended to the whole country soon and it seems likely they will remain in place in some form for at least the next couple of months,” it said in the note, issued Thursday.

It added that the tourism sector “is set to worsen” as travel cross the globe “is grinding to a halt.”

Separately, Moody’s Investors Service said “substantial policy buffers” by governments are needed to mitigate the potential credit-negative impact of the economic slowdown as countries in the Asia Pacific region braces for intensified outbreak.

Meanwhile, Moody’s Investors Service said the Philippines has fiscal space to soften the blow of economic fallout arising from the pandemic but this is not enough to fully offset the adverse impact.

Christian de Guzman, senior vice-president at the Moody’s Sovereign Risk Group, said the fiscal space was built up mainly from economic reforms implemented in recent years.

“Although we believe that the Philippines has fiscal space to mitigate the economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak — in part due to the reforms passed over the past few years, including those related to taxes, and only moderate levels of public debt — it is unlikely that any economy globally can fully offset the full brunt of the damage,” Mr. de Guzman said in an e-mail in response to a request for comment.

The national government’s outstanding debt hit P7.731 trillion in 2019, equivalent to 41.5% of GDP, the lowest level since 1986. The equivalent ratio was 41.8% in 2018.

The government on Monday announced a P27.1 billion economic stimulus package to offset the COVID-19 slowdown.

Moodys’ has reduced its 2020 gross domestic product growth forecast for the Philippines to 5.4% from its 6.1% projection issued. Last year, its estimate was 6.2%.

UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said: “Everything is very fluid and uncertain at this point,” adding that counting on the ratings agencies not to downgrade “is like trying to build a house on sand.”

“However, if one looks at the facts and numbers (the macroeconomic fundamentals), yes, indeed, there is fiscal space and debt levels were trending downwards. We can probably get an outlook downgrade but not a specific downgrade at this juncture,” Mr. Asuncion added in a Viber message. — Beatrice M. Laforga

A reprieve from tax filing during COVID-19

On March 12, President Rodrigo R. Duterte placed Luzon under community quarantine between March 15 and April 12 to contain the spread of COVID-19. With the income tax filing deadline for the 2019 tax year less than a month away, concerns were raised by taxpayers on how to proceed with their tax obligations.

Despite the strict implementation of an enhanced community quarantine effective March 17, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) maintained its initial position that the deadline will not be extended. Hence, in Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 25-2020 issued on March 17, the BIR initially reiterated that the filing of the annual income tax return (AITR) should be made on or before April 15. However, considering the current public health emergency and limitations on the preparation of AITRs, the BIR recognizes that there may be inaccuracies in determining the correct amount of income taxes to be and paid. Hence, taxpayers may file an amended AITR, provided that the return is not yet subject to a tax audit.

As a general rule, returns filed beyond the deadline are subject to delinquent penalties, which include a 25% surcharge on the unpaid taxes, interest penalty at double the current legal rate per annum (i.e., 12% since the current legal interest rate is 6%), and applicable compromise penalty. Nonetheless, under the RMC, an amendment resulting in additional tax liability can be settled without corresponding penalties if paid no later than June 15. This is a big help in terms of the taxpayer’s financial condition, especially during this time when business has slowed due to the quarantine.

The RMC did not mention a margin for error. Thus, there is some leeway for taxpayers who may file their AITRs on April 15 based on best estimates, then finalize once the complete information is gathered and file the amended AITRs by June 15 without paying penalties.

For individual taxpayers, another option that they may consider for cash flow purposes is paying their taxes in two equal installments. It is available when total tax due exceeds P2,000. The first payment must be made on or before April 15, while the second and final payment due six months later, i.e., on or before October 15.

Take for example an employee whose total tax due during the year is P300,000, with P250,000 withheld by the employer, as supported by his Certificate of Compensation Payment/ Tax Withheld (BIR Form 2316). Since 50% of the total tax due is fully covered by the taxes withheld by his employer, the remaining balance of P50,000 can be settled on or before Oct. 15. However, the AITR must still be filed on or before April 15 to signify the intention to settle the outstanding tax liability in installments.

Taxpayers who are not required to use the online filing facilities of the BIR-Electronic Filing and Payment System (EFPS) and eBIRForm platform are encouraged to use them. For EFPS filers, payment of taxes can be made through an authorized agent bank (AAB) of the BIR where the taxpayer is registered.

In keeping with the quarantine and stringent social distancing measures, the RMC also highlighted the use of online payment facilities for non-EFPS filers such as:

1. LandBank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) Link.Piz Portal (for taxpayers who have an ATM account with the bank and/or for holders of Bancnet ATM/Debit/Prepaid cards and taxpayers utilizing the PesoNet facility);

2. Union Bank Online Web and Mobile Payment Facility (for taxpayers who have an account with Union Bank of the Philippines);

3. Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) Pay Tax Online (for holders of Visa or Mastercard credit cards and/or Bancnet ATM/Debit cards issued by any bank); and

4. Mobile payment via GCash or PayMaya.

Among the online payment facilities mentioned, only DBP accepts credit card payments. Meanwhile, GCash and PayMaya have respective transaction limits. GCash has a maximum limit of P100,000 per month and P40,000 per day both for incoming and outgoing transactions. PayMaya’s normal accounts can be loaded up to P50,000 per month while upgraded accounts can be loaded up to P100,000 per month. While these two facilities are convenient, they may only be able to cater to non-large taxpayers, considering the amount limitations.

Although the BIR has provided suggestions on how taxpayers can file their tax returns and settle their tax liabilities during the quarantine, there are still some issues that the RMC did not properly address such as the manner of payment, particularly for those taxpayers who need to manually pay their taxes (e.g., through manager’s checks) considering that some banks may not be fully operational. Further questions that could arise are: “Can taxpayers file and pay their tax liabilities outside of their registered revenue district office (RDO)?” Will the bank accept payments from other RDOs not under its jurisdiction?.” Fortunately, these questions are addressed by RMC 28-2020 posted on the BIR’s website today (March 19) allowing taxpayers to file and pay taxes to any AAB nearest their location.

Taking into consideration the crisis and challenges faced by taxpayers, the Department of Finance and BIR finally granted the request of lawmakers and business groups for a 30-day extension of the filing deadline. RMC 28-2020 extends the 2019 tax filing deadline from April 15 to May 15 without penalty. Nevertheless, the BIR urges taxpayers who are ready and able to file their AITRs to do so on or before the original deadline to help the government raise sufficient funds to support health measures for COVID-19.

The views or opinions in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Isla Lipana & Co. The content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for specific advice.

 

Janeth A. Parcon-Ponce is a manager at the Tax Services Department of Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of the PwC network.

janeth.a.parcon@pwc.com

Local scientists looking at virus patterns; 15 more test positive

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporter

PHILIPPINE researchers are looking at the local transmission patterns of COVID-19 to help policymakers respond better to the pandemic that has killed at least 17 people and sickened 200 more locally.

“A study is now under way which will yield data on transmission dynamics, secondary infection rate and clinical attack rate of the disease among close contact and symptomatic proportion of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines,” the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) said in a statement on Thursday.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 15 more infections on Thursday, bringing the total to 217.

It also said another patient, a 48-year-old Filipino male from Cavite, had recovered from the virus, bringing the total of those who have gotten well to eight.

Patient No. 20 had traveled to Japan and was admitted on March 7. He was discharged after testing negative twice for the virus, DoH said.

Worldwide, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which the World Health Organization has called a pandemic, has infected about 220,000 people with almost 9,000 deaths, mostly in China.

DoST said samples from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City will be used in the study to help the Department of Health data improve “national efforts in case isolation, contact tracing and disease control and prevention.”

The project will be led by physician Mayan U. Lumandas from RITM, the agency said.

A web and mobile-based response tool is being amplified to give real-time updates on COVID-19 in the country.

The agency is also supporting research that tests the antiviral properties of lauric acid and its derivatives against coronavirus, it said.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 detection kit developed by the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health would probably be distributed to healthcare facilities by end-March, it said.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte last week locked down the entire island of Luzon to contain the virus, suspending work and public transportation and regulating food and health services.

The so-called enhanced community quarantine also required home quarantine for residents.

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, Inc. this week said it was working on a COVID-19 vaccine with BioNTech SE, a German company working on new kinds of immunotherapy treatments, targeting clinical testing to start by end-April.

Also yesterday, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said he was under self-quarantine after being in close contact with a health official who later tested positive for COVID-19.

He told radio DZBB he was not showing any symptoms and had been tested and was waiting for his results.

The Food and Drug Administration also released a list of four approved COVID-19 test kits for commercial use.

Nucleic acid detection kit for 2019 nCov is made in Shanghai, China and is distributed by S&S Enterprise, while Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV nucleic acid detection kit is produced in Beijing, China and distributed by Sahar International.

AllplexTM 2019-nCoV Assay is made in Seoul South Korea and distributed by Endure Medical, Inc. while SOLGEN DiaPlexQtm is made in Daejeon, South Korea and distributed by Wellness Pro, Inc.

Senate eyes pro-poor measures

THE Senate is considering legislation on food subsidies to aid daily wage earners who have temporarily lost their jobs after President Rodrigo R. Duterte stopped work as part of a Luzon-wide lockdown to contain a novel coronavirus outbreak.

The chamber might hold special sessions for that, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III told reporters on Thursday, as he warned of an “impending public order and financial crisis.”

“I am told the people might run out of food by next week,“ he said. “Public order will suffer. We have to remove legal impediments in the use of available funds swiftly.”

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has declared a state of national calamity after locking down Luzon island to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

Mr. Duterte extended class suspensions, stopped public transportation and barred most people from going to work.

Mr. Sotto said he had coordinated with Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III and a high-level economist about the crisis. Special sessions might be held on Friday or Saturday as soon as Mr. Duterte calls for one, he added.

Congress went on an almost two-month Holy Week break on March 13. Hearings in both chambers have also been suspended to prevent the spread of the virus.

Mr. Sotto initially proposed a P27-billion budget to fund a P300 a day worth of assistance per family for a month. Residents of the National Capital Region and central Luzon will be prioritized.

Meanwhile, Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay criticized the National Food Authority for the slow distribution of rice to affected residents, while Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian sought the immediate release of financial assistance to workers.

“The problem with government is red tape and we need to release the funds now,” he said in a statement. He was referring to the P1.3 billion COVID-19 adjustment measures program (CAMP), which gives every worker P5,000.

Also yesterday, Albay Rep. Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda asked the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to rationalize checkpoints to prevent road congestion and protect food security.

In a statement, the congressman warned of food shortages if “it takes too many extra hours for food supply to reach demand.”

While food supply remains stable, long cargo queues at multiple municipal checkpoints and provincial border controls “threaten immediate supply stability and increase price pressures.”

Meanwhile, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) called on universities and colleges to suspend tuition payments during the lockdown period.

CHED Chairman Prospero O. De Vera told a news briefing he had received complaints from parents after some schools required tuition payments during the lockdown that suspended classes and public transportation. — Charmain A. Tadalan, Genshen L. Espedido and Gillian M. Cortez

Muslim officials seek help in tracing KL event attendees

THE BANGSAMORO Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government appealed for the public’s cooperation as it tracks down the people who attended a recent big gathering of Islamic preachers in Kuala Lumpur, where many of Malaysia’s COVID-19 cases are linked.

BARMM Health Minister Saffrullah Dipatuan, in a live-streamed press briefing Wednesday afternoon, said getting the exact number and names of attendees is a “big challenge” as some “refuse to admit” their participation for fear of “social stigma.”

Mr. Dipatuan noted that the participants are not just from the BARMM, but all over the Philippines.

The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), in a separate statement, said initial information indicate there were “215 attendees from the Philippines, mostly from BARMM.”

The Department of Health (DoH), in its March 18 update, reported the death of a 58-year old Filipino male from Lanao del Sur, one of the BARMM provinces, who has travel history from Malaysia. He died on March 17 and his positive result for COVID-19 was released March 18.

The first confirmed case of the new coronavirus disease in Cotabato City, BARMM’s political center, is a patient who attended the gathering held February 27-March 1 at the Jamek Sri Petaling Mosque in Kuala Lumpur.

Cotabato City is already on lockdown and identified communities that are affected have been placed under quarantine.

Mr. Dipatuan said the BARMM inter-agency task force on COVID-19 is coordinating with local governments, the NCMF, other national agencies, and the government of Malaysia for tracing.

ZAMBOANGA, DAVAO
Meanwhile, neighboring Zamboanga City is implementing an enhanced community quarantine effective March 20, which means stricter measures from its current isolation policy.

Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar issued the new directive Thursday to mitigate what the executive order labels as “the impending spread of COVID-19.”

As of March 18, the independent city still has no confirmed case of the new coronavirus, while there are 12 persons under investigation (PUI) and 353 under monitoring (PUM).

With the enhanced community quarantine, public transportation will be suspended, “strict home quarantine will be implemented in all household,” and only “establishments providing basic necessities will remain open.”

The Davao Region, the first to declare a regional level community quarantine, will have its borders closed for incoming persons and vehicles, except for cargo, until April 1.

Under the regional Covid-19 task force’s directive, those “who want to leave the region can leave anytime but cannot come back during the lockdown period.”

The region is composed of Davao City and the provinces of Davao Oriental, Occidental, de Oro, del Norte, and del Sur.

As of 6 p.m. March 18, the region has one confirmed COVID-19 case, 88 PUIs of whom 31 have been discharged, and 3,589 PUMs.

The Department of Health-Davao Region (DoH-11) also announced on Thursday the death of three individuals who were placed under investigation.

However, the DoH-11 has yet to confirm whether they died of the coronavirus disease pending results of their tests from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine. —Carmelito Q. Francisco

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


Food pass application streamlined

THE APPLICATION for food passes has been streamlined to ensure continuous movement of food, agri-fishery products and inputs in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, according to Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar. He said transporters of these products only need a duly signed inventory of items indicating its origin and destination to get through quarantine checkpoints, while the food pass accreditation can be processed later. “We wish to reiterate that the food pass accreditation and stickers are free of charge. We will accept downloaded forms that are completely filled-out, properly signed, and bearing the DA (Department of Agriculture) logo as temporary pass pending the approval of the application,” Mr. Dar said. The DA is also working with the agriculturist offices of local government units to develop an easier and faster system. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Taal Volcano alert level lowered

TAAL VOLCANO is now on Alert Level 1, the lowest level, following reduced activity in the past four weeks, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Thursday. Phivolcs said the daily average of volcanic earthquakes has dropped to 31 during the Feb. 14-March 19 period from 141 during the previous four weeks. Alert Level 1 means that the volcano is still in an abnormal condition and the threat of eruption remains. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Nationwide round-up

Price freeze on basic goods in effect until May 15

THE GOVERNMENT has ordered a price freeze on basic goods and commodities until May 15 after President Rodrigo R. Duterte declared a nationwide state of calamity due to the rising cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The circular containing the directive states: “Following the declaration of a State of Calamity on 16 March 2020, prices thereof shall not increase in the retail market for any reason or for any purpose, for the next sixty (60) days upon its declaration or until 15 May 2020, unless sooner lifted by the President.” Meanwhile, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Thursday called on universities and colleges to halt the collection of tuition and other fees. CHED Chairperson Prospero O. De Vera said he received complaints from parents who were forced to settle payments despite the current enhanced community quarantine. — Gillian M. Cortez

DFA suspends visa issuance

DFA logo seal
THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is suspending the issuance of visas until April 13 while the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon is in place. “We are stopping the issuance of visas from all posts abroad and here. This goes one imperative step forward: a total ban on incoming foreign visitors of all nationalities no exceptions,” Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. said in a social media post, Thursday. “Outgoing foreign visitors should be given all the help to get out. Idiotic to detain them.” — Charmaine A. Tadalan

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