“Radiating positivity, creating connectivity”

CEBU July 13 - 19, 2020 P15.00 BUSINESSVolume 2 Series 43 12 PAGES

Room 310-A, 3rd floor WDC Bldg. Osmeña Blvd., City WEEK You may visit Cebu Business Week Facebook page. PLAINTS RISING V. POWER BILLS “Estimate billings” by electric companies during quarantine ‘excessive’

By: ELIAS O. BAQUERO THE Energy Regulatory Meralco but also other ing those in the Visayas were not reflected in the- suc Commission (ERC) has urged distribution utilities. In and Mindanao as it was ceeding electric bills. power consumers to file com- Cebu, we also received overwhelmed with com- Meralco has 6.5 million plaints against distribution complaints against plaints from the power power consumers and the DU utilities (DUs) amid increas- VECO, MECO and CEBE- consumers against DUs. failed to communicate with ing complaints against exces- CO but are few compared Bontuyan said that 99 the power consumers on how sive electric bills. to complaints against percent of these com- they came up with the esti- This developed as the ERC Meralco,” Bontuyan said. plaints were received mated bills. noted the increased number Bontuyan said that by the ERC but some of “Dunay estimation nga na- of complaints against billings during GCQ and ECQ, them bounced. The ERC nubra gyud,” Bontuyan said. from power distribution com- DUs in Manila and Cebu server can only accept Maybe power consum- panies even if they have been did not conduct meter 50,000 emailed com- ers under VECO, MECO) and using less electricity during reading but just esti- plaints. CEBECO are less vocal than the quarantine. mated power bills owing “We know that some those under Meralco. ERC Visayas Director to the lockdown due to emailed complaints Bontuyan said that he had Joel Bontuyan said it is bet- Corona Virus Disease bounced while some are talked with the president of ter for the complaining pow- (Covid-19) pandemic. waiting for acceptance. VECO DIRECTOR JOEL BONTUYAN er consumers to direct their Bontuyan said that We deleted some files In the VECO power bill, complaints to Visayas Electric this is allowed in the rule sued a directive last week but in the server to accommodate there is a note that in case of Company (VECO), Mactan which states that in case of termed it as an advisory, di- the other complaints. Most of complaint, a consumer may Electric Company (MECO) force majeure, the DUs can recting all DUs that have col- these complaints are against call them directly. So, there or Cebu Electric Cooperative make estimates without actual lected excess payments from Meralco,” Bontuyan said. is a possibility that VECO. (CEBECO) because they can reading of the meter. power consumers to refund The ERC Visayas direc- MECO and CEBECO received go over their records directly. Relative to this, the DUS the same. tor said that during the Senate complaints from power con- Bontuyan said that if the did not conduct meter reading Meralco, VECO, MECO, hearing they cannot under- sumers that were not coursed electric consumers are not sat- because their meter readers CEBECO and other DUS may stand their explanation on some through ERC. isfied with the DUs, this is now were under quarantine. have an option to apply the ex- proofs of payment through “Any power consumer the time to elevate their com- As a result, there were cess amount to the future elec- credit card and acknowledg- may ask the help of the ERC plaints to ERC. electric bills for the months tric bills of the consumers. ment by the Meralco system. if they are not satisfied with In Manila, he admitted, of April, May, and June; the “If the power consumers In the succeeding month, the the action given by the DU in the ERC was overwhelmed by power consumers were sur- really need a refund because paid electric bill for the previous connection with their com- the thousands of complaints prised that the electric bills of the economic crunch, the months were carried over in the plaint. Look at the email add against the excessive elec- skyrocketed unbelievably. consumers have the right to succeeding months. of VECO, MECO or CEBECO tric bills from Manila Electric “The electric bills tripled ask for cash refund of the ex- The leading problem is and send your complaint. If Company (Meralco) resulting or even more than triple of the cess payments from DUS,” the estimate billing that they you are satisfied with their to a Senate investigation. people’s normal power con- Bontuyan said. failed to explain. The other explanation, well and good. “I am not saying that the sumption,” Bontuyan said. The ERC used all its offic- electric bills carried excess If not, elevate it to the ERC,” complaints are only against As a result, the ERC is- es in the entire country includ- estimate, and the payments Bontuyan said. 2 July 13 - 19, 2020 Cebu Business Week LOCAL Container port, 4th bridge to hire hundreds: Alegado CONSOLACION, Cebu the Department of Transpor- ect alone, hundreds of con- cion have the most oppor- Vice Mayor Teresa “Nene” tation (DOTr) assured her struction workers will be tunities to work with these Pepito Alegado said the hun- that the processing of the hired to different programs of big projects including the dreds of construction workers project is already final. works.” Alegado said. Fourth Bridge and connect- who lost their jobs because of “The only thing left is She said that these em- ing big roads to be imple- the Covid-19 pandemic can be when we could proceed to ployment opportunities have mented by the Department of hired with the construction of new normal after the Gen- domino effect because after Public Works and Highways the Cebu International Con- eral Community Quarantine the construction workers will (DPWH). tainer Port and the Fourth (GCQ).” Alegado said. receive their salaries, it will In the Fourth Bridge Proj- Mactan- Bridge. She added that Duterte immediately circulate to the ect, Alegado said she was called Alegado said the reason already signed the approv- community for the reason by experts from Japan Inter- why she hangs on to public al of the port project but he that they will buy daily needs national Cooperation Agency service is because of the im- doesn’t want any ground- for their families. Of course, (JICA) that they are now -final plementation of big ticket breaking ceremony because she said, sari-sari stores and izing all the documents to -com projects of the administration of Covid-19. other small and medium in- plete the processing. of President Rodrigo Duterte. “DOTr officials told me dustries can have sales and “This Covid-19 pandemic The container port proj- that we will implement the may hire additional workers. is the only hindrance to this ect will surely be implement- VICE MAYOR TERESA “NENE” project directly without any The Vice Mayor added bridge project.” Alegado said. ed soon because officials of PEPITO ALEGADO ceremony. For the port proj- that the people of Consola- ELIAS O. BAQUERO PB oks P1.7B against Covid-19 THE Cebu provincial ard pay to health workers and opment projects. board has approved P1.7 front liners including provin- The support for Local Gov- Billion for the supplemen- cial health employees. ernment Units (LGUs, Soco tal budget in response to the Also part of this amount said the emphasized COVID-19 pandemic. is the support downloaded by during their meeting with City Cebu board member Glen the national government as and Municipal Mayors that Soco said part of the amount is part of the Bayanihan to Heal LGUs who can submit pro- also to restore Cebu’s economy as One Act in the amount of grams and anything that relat- which was affected by lock- P159 million. ed to pump priming the econ- downs in the past months. As discussed with Gover- omy will be supported by the Soco said he sponsored nor , Soco provincial government. the ordinance because of his said there was no indication Soco said the governor also belief that it is a big help for to stop the implementation of told them that she will stop economic recovery in their re- infrastructure program includ- providing dole outs but more sponse effort. ing the annual investment pro- on economic development. PB MEMBER GLEN SOCO A big part is for the assis- gram for 2020. They may submit a program to tance to the local government Soco recalled that the allocated for projects and pro- rest of 2020. boost tourism, infrastructure units and aid to barangays Cebu provincial government grams including infrastruc- Most likely in the annual then it will be supported by the which is allocated under the has approved a P12 billion ture developments of which budget of 2021 they will also Cebu provincial government. Office of the Governor; - haz budget for 2020. P6 billion is we intend to continue ‘til the include infrastructure devel- ELIAS O. BAQUERO Police nab 2 in buy-bust of LPG station Police Office Marketing and a resident of Si- appeared on business permit keting illegally sold petroleum Gas Town is owned and (CCPO) Station 8 arrested 2 tio Capasanan, Barangay Casili, issued by the Office of Cebu productsCity to Narisma. He was operated by Joel Cañete while suspects in a buy bust opera- Mandaue City. Mayor, without SCC and au- able to buy one filled 11.0- ki EP OH MAY GAS Marketing is tion for illegal selling of liquified Cellona and Magale were thority issued by DOE. logram cylinder from Cellona, owned by his wife Nancy Cañete petroleum gas products to cus- arrested based on the com- Taneo said the operation who received the payment be- who delivered the same to Na- tomers without Standard Com- plaint of the Department of resulted in the arrest of Cellona ing the cashier of the company. risma. The latter pretended to be pliance Certificate (SCC). Energy (DOE) represented by and Magale after the consum- The receipt and the delivery re- the buyer named Roger. Police Captain Jonathan Vicente Ocampo Hermosilla. mation of the buy-bust oper- ceipt served as evidences. When Narisma received Bethooven Nefil Taneo -identi Taneo said he led the buy- ation conducted by operating Cellona instructed Magale the swapped Regasco cylinder fied the suspects as Nova- bustLan operation with DOE in re- and arresting personnel namely: to get one cylinder of Regasco from Magale, he (Narisma) ticse Cellona, 44, married to a sponse to the letter of DOE Di- PCpl.. Michael Jeffrey Narisma, from their other warehouse arrested him immediately. Na- cashier of EP OH MAY GAS rector Ricardo B. Dela Cruz last PSSg. Wendel Nacario, PCpl. known as Gas Town LPG Cen- risma later on arrested Cellona Marketing and a resident of July 2 against EP OH MAY GAS Ardy Basco, Pcpl. Radjie Hus- ter, where different LPG prod- where the marked money was 1101 General Maxilom Exten- Marketing and Gas Town LPG sein Sigue, PSSg. Jude Jaquez, ucts are stored just meters recovered from her position sion, Cebu City; and George Center owned and operated PSSg and Giovanni Frasco. away from EP OH MAY GAS and control including their pro- Soco Magale, 55, married, de- respectively by Nancy Cañete Investigations revealed Marketing which was later on ceeds amounting to 852 in dif- livery crew of EP OH MAY GAS and Joel Cañete. Their names that EP OH MAY GAS Mar- found to be without SCC. ferent denominations. Cebu Business Week July 13 - 19, 2020 3 NEWS Lesser taxes paid convinced him, says PJ REP. PABLO John (PJ) “That convinced me to rec- did not pay correct taxes to the Garcia, Cebu 3rd District, said ommend for the non-renewal government?” Garcia asked. the small amount of taxes paid of the ABS-CBN franchise.” Garcia said one of the rec- by ABS-CBN network com- The public knew that ABS- ommendations of his commit- pared to its competitor had CBN has more advertising rev- tee was to conduct investiga- convinced him to support the enues than GMA Network and tions on all government agen- recommendation to not renew ABS-CBN has higher-priced cies in cahoots with these tax its franchise. ads. manipulators. Garcia, chairman of the The problem of ABS-CBN “Congress must investi- Technical Working Group is that they even created firms gate to determine the veracity (TWG) of the House Commit- in other countries where they of these illegal operations and tee on Legislative Franchises, allegedly did their jobs result- to determine how to stop sim- drafted the recommendation ing to nonpayment of taxes ilar violations.” Garcia said. to deny ABS-CBN’s applica- in the . They even Garcia agreed with Secre- tion for franchise renewal. used the Philippine Expert tary Adelino Sitoy of the Pres- There were several issues Zone Authority (PEZA) even if idential Legislative Liaison- against ABS-CBN which were their business is not for export rLaundering Act (AMLA) to all big. hence, they received benefits in prevent tax evasion. Garcia said franchise is not their operations. Garcia said there is a need a right but a privilege which REP. PABLO JOHN (PJ) GARCIA ABS-CBN created firms to amend AMLA to go well is special because not all peo- owned by ABS-CBN and the with international standards ple or companies are given mittee hearings and through the payment of ABS-CBN was client is ABS-CBN. In this case, and prevent the decline of Phil- such kind of privilege by the records from the Bureau of In- only around P500 million. In instead of paying P1 billion to ippine financial rating. government hence it must be ternal Revenue (BIR) that the the same period (2017, 2018, the government, there was zero A provision giving security returned through payment of manipulations in the payment 2019) its rival, GMA Network payment because of PEZA ben- and safety to foreign invest- correct taxes. of taxes were huge. which the public knew is small- efits. ments should be added in the Garcia said it was found Surprisingly in the past er than ABS-CBN paid P3 bil- “So, is ABS-CBN entitled AMLA. out during congressional com- 3 years (2017, 2018, 2019), lion. to franchise renewal when it Congress delivered fair, impartial hearing: Cayetano HOUSE Speaker Alan Peter He said that as the Committee by the Committee without the relationships that have Cayetano said they have members have voted to deny serious consideration as to been strained by this issue,” committed and delivered a the franchise application the overall impact it will have Cayetano added. time for Congress, through of ABS-CBN, the House on the nation,” Cayetano said. Cayetano has been a the Committee on Legislative Leadership asks that the people “I pray that despite our senator for two terms, former Franchises, to conduct a fair, read the findings carefully in differences, we will eventually secretary of the Department impartial, thorough, and order to appreciate the reasons come to respect the decision of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and comprehensive hearing on for their decision. And for those of the committee and its now speaker of the House the franchise application of who do not agree, at the least, members, and begin to of Representatives. ELIAS O. the Lopez-owned ABS-CBN understand why the decision move forward in rebuilding BAQUERO television network. had to be so. Cayetano said that because “This has by no means of the highly partisan nature of been an easy process for Bebot favors ABS-CBN renewal HOUSE SPEAKER ALAN PETER CEBU City South Con- deny the renewal of ABS- this issue, they accepted from CAYETANO anyone involved in these the start that there would be proceedings, and I can assure gressman Rodrigo “Bebot” CBN franchise, 11 mem- those who will vehemently decision, no matter what they our kababayans that the final Abellanosa favored the re- bers voted in favor of the disagree with the committee’s resolve. resolution was not arrived at newal of franchise of ABS- domestic television giant. CBN and said that he would “In this time of pan- have been the 12th solon to demic when businesses cast for the network if he are closing down, people Del Mar laments ‘fall’ of network were a voting member of are losing jobs and getting A GIANT tree falls. franchise application – process, or the appearance of the House Committee on hungry, the economy is on This was the statement against 11 for the grant after it, was there. Legislative Franchises. the verge of collapse, the of Repre4sentative Raul del 13 hearings on the franchise Yet Del Mar said he While 70 members of decision shutting down Mar over the fate of ABS- bills must be respected. Due shared the dismay of some of the committee voted to ABS-CBN is very inhu- CBN Corporation. his colleagues who were not mane, absolutely out of “I grieve the action by able to take part in the public sense and timing,” Abella- the House committee on hearings of the committee, nosa said in his Facebook franchises, which killed being non-members of the account post. the hope of ABS-CBN committee. “The debate and He said that while gov- Corporation to reopen. vote, which I helped push ernment agencies such as Just not a good time, with for, could’ve been more fully Securities and Exchange the pandemic and all to given and appreciated had it Commission (SEC) and shutdown a broadcast reached the plenary session,” Bureau of Internal Reve- network, the major source Del Mar lamented. nue (BIR) did not concur of news and entertainment A giant tree has fallen. to the alleged wrongdo- to many Filipinos here and We all heard its fall. We have ings of ABS-CBN, these are abroad,” Del Mar said. still to see though how it not well-established and The Cebu congressman would affect our lives and the REP. RODRIGO “BEBOT” should have been better said the decision of 70 land where it once stood, Del ABELLANOSA left to the court to decide. members to reject the REP. RAUL DEL MAR Mar said. 4 July 13 - 19, 2020 Cebu Business Week OPINION

Safety valve closed

Several DDS quarters rejoiced when a Congress committee closed ABS-CBN. I think it was not just political revenge. It was a strategic move to clear the path for the anointed in 2022. Amid the hunger and anger this lockdown brought however, the closure of ABS-CBN Weekly Notes shut down a safety valve Emmanuel Nacorda Mongaya where angry people can let off steam. The rise in unemployment. The feeling of oppression when ordinary folk experience harsh police treatment when they go out to buy food. Meanwhile, they see General Debold Sinas going scot free. Or city and barangay officials enjoying a sumptuous meal because of a general meeting at the MCWD Social Hall. Perhaps, the Anti-Terror Law and the heavy police and military presence will succeed in keeping the social volcano from erupting. Recession I fear the closure of ABS-CBN would also impact business. At a time when so many businesses are closing, the closure of the television giant would add to the momentum of closures. So many small businesses are relying on business they do with the network. It is easy to end the lockdowns. However, we are now seeing cities and communities worldwide struggling to spark economic activity. Press Freedom Editorial Some quarters are saying the ABS-CBN closure is not about press freedom. They say the press freedom issue is a matter of opinion. However, a huge number believe in the said opinion. No room for failure I notice many journalists are now extra careful in There were weeks when Most Cebuanos, howev- ment measures without glar- expressing dissent. Mayor Edgar Labella lamely er, remain pessimistic. Even Dead recovers? ing flaws like that stupid QR cited the low number of if lockdown rules shall be code without an online data- A Facebook post by Stephaniie Ang and Jerwel deaths in Cebu City as a lifted, the coronavirus con- base? Mabatid complained why Dr. Daisy Villa of the Cebu reason for good performance. tinues to infect. More com- When will they carry out City Health Office gave the family of Fructoso Gacasan After several extensions of munities are affected. And projects right like prioritizing Mabatid a certificate of recovery from Covid-19 the and ECQ, the city recorded worse, more deaths. approval by the Cebu City discharge dated July 3, 2020. 83 deaths from July 5 to 11, The controversy sur- Council and securing a Perhaps, Mayor Edgar Labella should investigate 2020. rounding the construction permit from the Department because the family claimed they buried Mabatid on May A death from Covid-19 is of a hinterland cemetery of Environment and Natural 31, 2020 at the Carreta cemetery. too much. But 83 in six days? highlights the anticipation Resources before cutting any According to the post, they brought their grandfather There had been a debate of more deaths as the city try for a cemetery? to the hospital because he cannot breathe already on May lately about ending the prepares. This practically Blaming the opposition 28, 2020. Two private hospitals did not accept the patient. lockdown on July 15, 2020. drowns out efforts, if there is lame damage control. They eventually went to the Memorial The team from Manila are, to prevent death instead. When can Mayor Labella Medical Center (VSMMC). headed by Secretary Roy Again, one more death own up the consequences of On May 30, 2020, a doctor called to inform them that Cimatu has noted compliance is too much. When will Cebu his actions? Mabatid died. They then retrieved the body and buried to lockdown rules and City officials led by Mayor We should all realize, their grandfather at the Carreta cemetery. supposed improving health Labella rise to the times? there is no more room for Then the certificate from Dr Villa arrived on July 3. statistics. When will they imple- failure. What is going on, Mayor?

“Radiating positivity, creating connectivity” Atty. Gerardo Carillo Emmanuel delos Santos Rabacal Cebu Business Week is published every Chairman President week by Cebu Newsmakers Forum, Inc. All CEBU contents of this newspaper are placed online through Cebu Business Week Facebook page. Emmanuel “Anol” Mongaya Bebie Hiñola Baquero BUSINESS Editor Marketing Manager email: [email protected] Keres H. Aviles Emmanuel R. Espina Room 310-A,3rd floor WDC Bldg. WEEK Writer Production Head Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City Cebu Business Week July 13 - 19, 2020 5 OPINION Fitch downgraded 33 sovereign ratings explained many governments debt levels after economies has been around for decades Covid-19 cases has raised fears have increased spending to emerge from the coronavirus and was established during for continued growth. June’s shelter their economies from pandemic. (CNBC) the country’s high growth pe- rise is far higher than the three being severely hit by the coro- oOo riod in the 1950s and 60s, he million jobs that many econo- navirus pandemic. That’s ex- As poverty rises in Japan, said, when there was a very mists forecast would be creat- pected to cause a deterioration the country’s middle class serious shortage of labor. The ed last month. However, sep- in the financial positions of all is slowly eroding away, ac- system is mainly practiced by arate Labor Department data 119 countries rated by Fitch, cording to a recent report by relatively established compa- also showed that in the week he said. Such deterioration Oxford Economics’ Shigeto nies and has three pillars: The ending 27 June, initial claims BIZBITS could take the form of larger Nagai. After the bubble burst “implicit guarantee” to take for unemployment fell only Manny de los Santos Rabacal deficits or smaller surpluses in the 1990s, income has care of employees until retire- slightly, to 1.43 million, on the in the government budgets, or declined across the income ment, wages that are dictated previous week. Oxford Eco- an increase in debt, he added. percentiles, and the share of by seniority, company-based nomics called it a “worryingly The International Monetary low-income households has labor unions. The economist small decline”. Companies, Fitch Ratings has down- Fund has said that lockdown risen as those of middle- and said he was concerned that the including in populous states graded a record 33 sovereign measures imposed in many high-income groups shrink. disappearance of Japan’s mid- such as California, Florida and ratings in the first half of thiscountries to curb the spread of The ten years starting from dle class could lead to further Texas, plan to scale back or year and the agency is not the coronavirus have hurt the the early 1990s have often stagnation in consumption. delay reopening because of the done yet as the coronavirus global economy more than ex- been referred to as Japan’s (CNBC) fresh coronavirus outbreaks, pandemic pummels govern- pected. The fund warned that “Lost Decade.” The period was oOo which would hold back hiring. ment finances. James- Mc global public debt could reach marked by economic stagna- The US economy created This week, Federal Reserve Cormack, Fitch’s global head an all-time high of over 100% tion and deflation following ajobs at a record pace in June chairman Jerome Powell ac- of sovereign ratings, said the of the world’s gross domestic boom in the prior years. Ja- as firms took on more staff- af knowledged the rebound in agency has placed the credit product. Fitch, in a May re- pan’s poverty rate stands at ter the coronavirus downturn. activity, saying the economy ratings of 40 countries or sov- port, also warned that sover- 15.7%, according to the latest Payrolls surged 4.8 million, had entered an important new ereign entities on a negative eign defaults could hit a record figures from the Organiza- the most since the Labor De- phase. But he warned that con- outlook. That means those this year due to the coronavi- tion for Economic Co-opera- partment began keeping re- tinuing growth would depend ratings have the potential to rus pandemic and weakness in tion and Development. That cords in 1939, helped by the on success in containing the be downgraded. Never in the oil prices. Argentina, Ecuador metric refers to people whose reopening of factories and virus. And despite two months history of Fitch Ratings had 40 and Lebanon have default- household income is less than restaurants. It follows May’s in a row of jobs growth, em- countries on negative outlook ed on their debt this year, the half of the median of the entire jobs rebound, when 2.5 mil- ployment is still about 15 mil- at the same time. Sovereign agency said in the report. Mc- population. A major driving lion joined the labour market, lion below its pre-pandemic credit ratings that Fitch has Cormack said the agency will force determining the income and comes after consumer level, with the jobless rate just downgraded include the U.K. be watching whether govern- distribution has been its life- spending data saw a jump in above 11%. (BBC) mannyrab- and Hong Kong. McCormack ments can bring down their time employment system. It activity. But a recent spike in [email protected] Antonio Veloso Cuenco, The Crusader University (Ateneo de Cagay- no as many Cebuanos became the drug syndicates. Cuenco Financier and his cohorts on an). He earned his pre-law and rich and held high government is the country’s pioneer An- February 23, 2012 at Branch College of Law at the Ateneo de position (even up to present). ti-Drug Crusader, the rest just 28, RTC Mandaue City, Cebu. Manila (admitted to the Bar on Many of these people arro- followed. He paved the way of Another piece of legisla- January 27, 1961. In 1964 ran gantly or by selective amnesia the crusade against drugs. tion Cong Cuenco champi- and won as congressman in the forget to give credit or honor As Chairman of the House oned is the passage of the Phil- old 5th Congressional District. Cong. Cuenco of such help. Committee on Dangerous ippine Baseline Law, opposed Antonio, a born Crusader President Aquino appoint- Drugs, he championed for the by then President Arroyo and fought for the nation’s free- ed Cuenco as Political Affairs passage of Republic Act 9165 the late Senator Miriam Santi- dom against the Martial Law Minister. In 1984, he was (Comprehensive Dangerous ago, as they were afraid of the Cebu Legal of then President Marcos in elected Assemblyman togeth- Drugs Act of 2002). He led in repercussion of diplomatic of- Pedia the 1970’s via the radio pro- er with Marcelo Fernan in the the extradition of the financier fense against the Peoples Re- Atty. Clarence Paul V. Oaminal gram “Salamin.” He was ar- Regular Batasang Pambansa) of the Mega Shabu Laborato- public of China. rested three times. and was elected in 1987 as the ry (dismantled on September Cuenco despite repeated Tony became the first and 1st Congressman of the newly 24, 2004) from Hongkong to visits from the representatives true friend of Senator Benig- redistricted Cebu (under the the Philippines. Proving them of Communist China and their no Aquino Jr. He introduced 1987 Constitution) of Cebu City wrong, he personally brought diplomatic protest over the pro- Antonio Veloso Cuenco the Cebuanos to Ninoy and his South District. He held the po- the financier, the only success- cess of the passage of the law, was born to a political clan. wife, Cory who became Presi- sition as Speaker Pro Tempore. ful extradition in a drug case Cuenco fought for it. Cuenco His father, Dr. Manuel Alesna dent after the 1986 EDSA Peo- He was instrumental in the pas- in Asia. For his gallant effort said this law will be imbedded Cuenco, served as Post War ple Power. It was Tony Cuenco sage of the Local Government he was conferred the Congres- in Philippine History of our his- . His Grand- and wife, Nancy Roa (elected Code in 1991, he in the House of sional Plaque of Recognition in torical and legal claim of the is- father, Don Mariano Jesus Congresswoman in the South Representatives and his friend 2005 together with Congress- lands like the Bajo de Masinloc Cuenco, was appointed Cebu District in 1998) who protected and classmate at the Ateneo, man Roque Ablan Jr., Dean as part of Philippine territory. City Mayor, Governor of Cebu, and brought Cory to safety at Senator Pimentel worked. Ernesto L. Pineda, Col. Amado The Baseline Law was the de- Congressman of the old 5th the Carmelite Monastery when Cong. Tony shocked Cebu E. Marquez Jr., Sec. Raul Gon- layed law required by the Unit- Congressional District. Mari- the revolution started. All the and the nation of the wide- zalez, Atty. Jose Calida (now ed Nations Convention on the ano holds the record as the 1st businessmen and politicians spread and pernicious effect Solicitor General) and Atty. Law of the Seas. Cuenco did his Cebuano Senate President. who became identified with theof illegal drugs in government Clarence Paul V. Oaminal. job in fighting for what is ours. Antonio nicknamed Tony, Aquino’s was because of Tony and in the society. When the One of his proudest mo- Tony Cuenco, THE CRU- finished elementary at the - Co Cuenco. He never abused such nation was silent on the evils of ment was when he was per- SADER was born on March legio de San Jose Recoletos and influenced and closeness to drugs, Cuenco trumpeted and sonally present to witness the 26, 1936 and died on June 27, his High School at the Xavier then President Corazon Aqui- called the nation to rise against conviction of the Shabu Lab 2020. 6 July 13 - 19, 2020 Cebu Business Week OPINION Remote Court Appearance as the New Court Normal

gional Trial Court presided by In preparation for the “new will only cover criminal cases but likely consent to this as a pre- Judge Altone Miralles using normal,” the Supreme Court is Marquez said it may be extend - ferred mode of service as it is the the Microsoft Team app in ac- already gearing for its expand- ed to cover civil cases later on. most convenient of all modes. cordance with the Video Con- ed pilot-testing of videoconfer- The videoconferencing Courts may have to go dig- ferencing Hearing procedure encing or “tele-hearing” in var- method would be applied in all ital in keeping records as these of the Supreme Court. ious courts nationwide. stages of the trial, whether it new and necessary equipment I found this indeed strange The Office of the Court Ad- is newly filed, already pendingwill take up more space. The and unfamiliar terrain. It was ministrator (OCA) has issued before a court, or the promul- digital docket must be a pro- like facing an unknown adver- Circular 92-2020 stating that it gation of judgment. gram universal to all courts, sary but you need to grapple the will already provide Philippine Filing and service of plead- highly encrypted, and secure to rope to survive. From the com- Judiciary 365 accounts for pur- ings and other papers. It is very ensure maximum privacy and The Legal Front mencement of the hearing, I was poses of electronic filing and timely that the Supreme Court security. The protection of elec- Atty. Gerry Carillo struggling to operate unfamiliar pilot testing of videoconference has issued the New Rules of tronic court records and other system, not until Gerard, my son hearings. The 365 accounts Civil Procedure that took effect documents may be the most guided me through the process. carry an Outlook for email and on May 1, 2020, which now al- difficult among these, but highly I then realized that be- to Teams for video conference lows e-mail or other electronic essential and imperative, espe- This pandemic has altered ing taught with typewriters in hearings. means as a mode of filing[9] cially since the Supreme Court people’s behavior and attitude. school, people have to adapt to The OCA said all account and service.[10] Not only does has already allowed electronic Wearing masks, observing so- the new normal so as not to be users must regularly access this rule reduce foot traffic in filing and service, and maybe cial distancing and frequent left behind. their accounts because it will courts, but it also reduces traffic gearing towards a fully digitized hand washing and sanitation I enjoyed the usual trial pro- be used for official communica- and physical contact in general, record-keeping platform. are new normal. ceedings as it gives me an oppor- tions to and from the Supreme as parties and counsels need The Supreme Court is taking Meetings and gatherings tunity to know the behavior of Court, OCA, and court users. not deliver pleadings and oth- a proactive role in following the have now become virtual. In- the trial judge in the prior cases Court Administrator Jose er papers to opposing parties directives on physical distancing stitutions such as the executive as I can prepare how to handle Midas Marquez, who leads thepersonally or by courier. This and ECQ while guaranteeing the departments and the halls of my case. It also gives me a better expanded pilot-testing of vid- means that filing and serviceadministration of justice. Courts Congress are now applying ei- view on how to conduct my cross eoconferencing, said it will be can be done anywhere, even in must thrive in and survive this ther the apps of Zoom or Mic- examination as I can see the fa- done in selected trial courts un- the comfort of one’s home. crisis. When chaos and uncer- rosoft Teams for the portals of cial expression of the witnesses. der the enhanced community If social and physical dis- tainty surround us, the continu- meetings. Our judicial system Advocates are left clueless quarantine (ECQ) and general tancing will be the new norm, ity of a legal and justice system, is not spared. as the advocate like me are community quarantine (GCQ) courts will encourage parties to well-adjusted to these difficult Just recently, I had a hear- glued in the home while wait- due to the COVID-19 pandemic. file and serve pleadings and -mo times, gives a sense of security. ing with Branch 15 of the Re- ing for your case to be called. For now, videoconferencing tions by e-mail, and parties will Indeed, a new court normal.

PH tops as dangerous country amid COVID-19

ed violation of rights (2), and, f) gerous countries in the world The group also pointed out the quantitative reflection of this irregular violation of rights (1). for workers. that the unresolved labor-re- situation. And the situation is Along with other countries, Interestingly, another is- lated murders and disappear- no better in textile, steel, auto or in the 7th edition of the GRI, sue ITUC included in the report ances of trade union leaders mining. But after the COVID-19 our country retained its spot on as a red-flag were the alarming and union members, various outbreak most of our members the infamous roster as one of trend of a number of scandals intimidations and repressions are facing violations on an even the worst countries for working about governments’ surveil- employed by government and bigger scale. Our only way to people in 2020 together with lance of trade union leaders, employers, red-tagging and fight back is through increased countries in the dishonorable attempting to instill fear and wanton attacks on workers and organizing and strengthened roll, such as; Bangladesh, Bra- put pressure on independent workers’ fundamental rights unions and higher global soli- zil, Colombia, Egypt, Honduras, unions and their members. made the current situation dan- darity”, echoed a Geneva-based The Labor Front India, Kazakhstan, Turkey and “We see the handwriting gerous and difficult for workers. IndustriALL Global Union. Art Barrit Zimbabwe. Accordingly, the clearly on the wall where work- Admittedly, the conditions may The ITUC represents 207 ITUC reports also revealed that ers rights are being trampled get worse in the coming days million workers in 163 countries 85% of countries have violat- upon and workers are and will due to the COVID-19 pandem- and territories and has 332 na- The Philippines once again ed the right to strike, 80% have be victims in the current polit- ic disease. “We plead to our tional affiliates. It was a merger landed among the top 10 dan- violated the right to collective ical environment, added the fi- government to step back from of two biggest trade union feder- gerous countries for workers bargaining, 74% have excluded ery union spokesperson, Allan the brink of this totalitarian ation, namely: the International according to the 2020 Global workers from establishing or Tanjusay. temptation and accept the path Confederation of Free Trade Rights Index (GRI), an annu- joining a trade union, and 72% There were reportedly 43 of building back better by up- Unions (ICFTU) and the World al report released by the Brus- have zero or restricted access to union officials that have beenholding our individual civil and Confederation of Labor (WCL) sels-based International Trade justice. It was also reported that murdered since the start of political liberties, respecting on November 1, 2006. A day Union Confederation (ITUC). freedom of assembly and free the Duterte administration. our collective economic rights when the living remembered the Countries were rated on a speech were repressed and were A number of trade unionists and by putting our workers’ in- dead. And the current ILO Di- scale from one to five, one -be curtailed increased from 54 from were killed, subjected to vio- terests first. This is the path to rector-General Guy Ryder was ing the highest and best rating previous year to 56 in 2020. lence and harassments, arrest- saving jobs and saving lives’, the a former General Secretary of and five the worst. In our home front, the big- ed and intimidated and where ALU-TUCP vociferously added. the ICFTU and the ITUC while The survey was based on gest organized labor, the As- unions are busted intentional- “Even before COVID-19, the IndustriALL Global Union the following: a) no guarantee of sociated Labor Unions (ALU), ly, lamented the ITUC reporto- we witnessed unprecedented founded in June 19, 2012, Co- rights due to the breakdown of an affiliate of the Trade Union rial index. The data of this an- attacks against labor movement penhagen, represents more than the rule of law (5+), b) no guar- Congress of the Philippines nual GRI listings on violations and an increasing gap between 50 million working people in antee of rights (5), c) systematic (TUCP) supports the findingsand restrictions of workers’ the poor and the rich across the more than 140 countries, The violation of rights (4), d) regular of the ITUC, citing the country rights and freedom is based on globe, leading to a new global ALU-TUCP is an affiliate of both violation of rights (3), e) repeat- as one of the top 10 most dan- the situation in 144 countries. economic crisis. The ITUC GRI is the ITUC and the IndustriALL. Cebu Business Week July 13 - 19, 2020 7 BUSINESS Imported diabetes drugs now exempt from VAT IMPORTS of prescrip- lesterol and hypertension are ment of Health Food and and medicines included in tion drugs to treat diabetes, exempted from the 12% VAT Drug Administration (DOH- the ‘list of approved drugs high cholesterol and hyper- starting Jan. 1, 2020. FDA) also includes those de- and medicines’ issued by the tension are now exempted VAT collected from signed to treat cancer, men- DoH for this purpose,” the from paying from value-add- these drugs from Jan. 27, tal illness, tuberculosis and regulation stated. ed tax (VAT). 2020 until the effectivity of kidney diseases. These will The latest directive THE Bureau of Internal the new rules will be refund- also be VAT-exempt begin- amends the RR 25-2018 is- Revenue (BIR), through Rev- ed, “provided that the input ning Jan. 1, 2023. sued in December 2018 when enue Regulations (RR) No. tax on the imported items “The exemption from the BIR laid out the rules on 18-2020, which was signed have not been reported and VAT under this subsection the VAT-exempt status of on June 30, stated that the claimed as input tax credit A list of medicines eligi- shall only apply to the sale or drugs for the treatment of sale or importation of pre- in the monthly and/or quar- ble for tax privileges under importation by the manufac- selected cardiovascular and scription drugs and medi- terly VAT returns,” the BIR Republic Act (RA) No. 11467 turers, distributors, whole- related diseases that did not cines for diabetes, high cho- said. and approved by the Depart- salers and retailer of drugs include imported drugs. NEDA supports Open Access in Data Transmission bill ACTING Socio-econom- is the lowest possible price telco would be discouraged “Now, there’s promise ic Planning Secretary Karl for the best possible service. from switching to another because the market is still Kendrick T. Chua said the By promoting the open provider because they don’t very, very huge. There’s still National Economic Devel- access for data and internet, want the hassle of changing so many without telecommu- opment Authority (NEDA) we want the most coverage their phone numbers, having nication operators so there’s supports the Open Access that can be felt by all the to inform all their friends actually still huge demand in Data Transmission bill, barangays that have not been and customers. So it actually and we can actually leverage which seeks to lower barriers able to connect well,” Chua presents a barrier to entry this,” she said. to entry in the telecommuni- said. and we want that to be not Citing the National Infor- cations industry to pave the NEDA Undersecretary a problem, but that would mation and Communications way for better and cheaper Rosemarie G. Edillon said a require this legislation,” Technology Household sur- Internet. challenge for new companies Edillon said. vey, she said 96% and 91.5% Senators Ralph G. Recto eager to join the broadband In her presentation, of barangays in Cordillera and Grace S. Poe filed Senate industry is to attract clients SEC. KARL KENDRICK T. CHUA Edillon said the Philippines Administrative Region (CAR) Bill No. 45 or the proposed already subscribed to the had a broadband penetration and Autonomous Open Access in Data Trans- telco incumbents to shift to way in reducing the barriers rate of 17% in 2018, while Region in Muslim Mindanao mission Act in July 2019. another service provider. to entry because some of 80% of Filipinos had access (BARMM) regions have no “What we are after here “We see the measure as a the subscribers to another to 3G mobile tools. telecommunications towers. SEC creates new investment vehicle New tax rates for tobacco THE Securities and Ex- times,” SEC Chairperson with similar investment ob- THE Bureau of Internal change Commission (SEC) Emilio B. Aquino said. jectives but are managed as Revenue (BIR) released the is working on a new regu- A CDF is a closed-end separate asset pools. Each new tax rates for tobacco, latory framework for the investment company that class shall correspond to a heated tobacco, vapor, and development of a capital offers for sale a fixed num- distinct part of the assets nicotine-based products. market where closed-end ber of non-redeemable and liabilities of the CDF. Revenue Memorandum investment companies pri- units of participation or Subscription in a CDF is Order (RMO) No. 20-2020 marily invest in corporate shares and has a limited of- done only on initial public outlined the new excise tax debt papers of large and fer period. Its objective is offering and redemption is rates on cigarettes as follows: medium enterprises, as to invest in the portfolios at maturity although it can Cigarettes packed by ma- Cigarettes packed by part of efforts to cushion of corporate debt papers of make periodic distribution chines, P45 per pack starting hand, P45 per to increase to the economic fallout of the large corporations and me- of income to investors on a this year, increasing it to P50 P50 in 2021, P55 in 2022 and COVID-19 pandemic. dium-sized enterprises op- pro-rata basis. It may also in 2021, P55 in 2022 and P60 P60 in 2023. The Commission on erating or deriving income pay out the proceeds of the in 2023. Chewing tobacco that July 8 issued for public in the Philippines, or any underlying investments of A pack of heated tobacco, is unsuitable for use in any comment the draft rules company guaranteed by a each share/ unit class upon P25 will go further to P27.50 other manner, P1.97 per kilo- providing the minimum re- large or medium-sized do- their liquidation until the per pack beginning 2021, P30 gram will be raised to P2.05 quirements and guidelines mestic corporations or by termination and maturity of in 2022 and P32.50 in 2023. next year, P2.13 in 2022 and in the creation and oper- the Philippine government its securities. Salt nicotine-based vapor P2.22 in 2023. ation of such investment and/or its agencies. To incorporate, the CDF products, P37 per milliliter (ml) An inspection fee worth companies called Corporate “With the proposed reg- shall have a minimum sub- will increase to P42 in 2021, P47 10 centavos per 1,000 units of Debt Funds (CDFs). ulatory framework, we hope scribed and paid up capital of in 2022 and P52 in 2023. heated tobacco products and a “The new investment ve- to help avert credit and li- P50 million. But as an excep- Vapor products with con- fee of one centavo per ml of va- hicle called Corporate Debt quidity crises that may arise tion, the subscribed and paid ventional nicotine, P45 per 10 por products were set by BIR. Fund will be particularly from the economic downturn up capital shall not be lower ml will be raised to P50 start- This is set to increase by helpful in providing for the caused by the COVID-19 pan- than P1 million, if the CDF ing 2021, P55 in 2022 and P5 annually until it reaches liquidity needs of large- and demic, and support the re- forms part of a group of in- P60 in 2023. P60 in 2023. All these rates medium-sized corporations covery of businesses and the vestment companies created Cigars, P6.57 each will will be increased by 5% every for repayments, emergency overall economy therefrom,” or already in existence to be increase to P6.83 next year, year effective Jan. 1, 2024. spending and investments SEC Chairperson Emilio B. managed or under manage- P7.10 in 2022 and P7.38 in Finance Secretary Carlos necessary to sustain their Aquino said. ment by the same fund man- 2023. The ad valorem tax was G. Dominguez III had said the operations and preserve The CDF may offer dif- ager with a track record of at kept unchanged at 20% of the new rates will be applied retro- jobs in these challenging ferent share or unit classes least five years. net retail price per cigar. actively. 8 July 13 - 19, 2020 Cebu Business Week CEBU CITY PAGE A paper within the paper Continued lockdown of Alaska ‘inadvertent’ Admitting the continued Trovela also confirmed estimated 20,000 residents ple who died not because of COVID-19 cases in Alaska lockdown of Alaska, Mam- that RIATF did not any- according to Mambaling Ba- COVID-19 but of heart attack, and they are amazed that the baling in Cebu City as inad- more include Alaska, Mam- rangay Councilor Anne Ma- low potassium and suicide active cases were tremen- vertent, Director Leocadio baling in the top 10 list of rie Vestil Palomo . due to lack of food and job. dously reduced from 620 to a Trovela of the Department of COVID-19 hot spot areas in Recently, Dithabeth Palomo said the people little more than only 20. Interior and Local Govern- Cebu City due to the almost Villahermosa North, a reg- in Alaska managed to survive “The reduction of active ment (DILG) 7 said he will complete eradication of as- istered nurse and Palomo even with less food assis- cases in Mambaling is re- arrange for its lifting. ymptomatic in the area. collaborated with other ba- tance from the barangay and markable. Alaska is not in- Trovela, a member of the Ironically, Alaska was num- rangay residents to create an city governments through cluded in the present granular Regional Inter-Agency Task ber 1 and its improvement online petition for the gov- the food packs and medicines lockdown. They will imme- Force (RIATF), said they was remarkable. ernment to lift the lockdown. donated by good Samaritans. diately review the record of noted that of the 620 people Alaska in Mambaling is On record, Palomo said Trovela said the RIATF Alaska to determine whether reported as COVID-19 posi- composed of 16 sitios with an there were already four peo- records showed only few it is now timely to lift the lock- tive and asymptomatic, only down.” Trovela said. a little more than 20 people Trovela also noted that remain positive. the announcement of 620 ac- In an interview with tive cases in Alaska was more DYRC Radio and Cebu Busi- than three months ago. The ness Week, Trovela said the COVID-19 experts said that recommendation of the lift- the asymptomatic will be ing of the lockdown in Alaska, cured in a couple of weeks or Mambaling has been inadver- 14 days. Since the announce- tently omitted. Hence, Trovela ment until last week there said he will arrange for an im- were no recorded deaths. mediate review on the matter. ELIAS BAQUERO Project Noah to liberate troubled Cebu City: Rama CEBU City vice Mayor Rama also recalled that also gave donations to Noah partners are mostly private be liquidated and reported by Michael “Mike” Rama said Cebu City councilor Ray- Complex project like Senator institutions like Michael the foundation. The founda- the Noah Complex at the mond Alvin Garcia, the ma- Bongbong Marcos, Senator Gleissner who owns Big Foot tion is headed by Mariquita shall jority floor leader of the city Nancy Binay, Senator Bong International Studio which he Salimbangon Yeung. serve as liberation for the council, has even donated his Go and Vice President Leny lent to Noah complex for free. Yeung is known for help- malady-laden, troubled, and personal money for the proj- Robredo. Gleissner even donated ing the city government in- overwhelmed mainland. ect. Rama said that aside P2 Million cash to the Cebu cluding the beautification of In the 10 hectares they “This means we are help- from Bong Go’s donation to City government which is the Magellan’s Cross, Magel- allocated an area for nurses. ing each other to help the peo- Noah Complex he also donat- now in the hands of the City lan’s Park and the Senior Citi- The Department of Health ple. Yet, it is unfortunate that ed about 5,000 face masks treasurer. The amount will zen’s Park several years ago. (DOH) has approved the aug- our political opponents want which he may distribute to answer electricity expenses Yeung also helped in beautify- mentation of 20 nurses for to destroy the noble project. I the different barangays. and other utilities needed. ing Cebu City sidewalks when the complex. assured critics to just wait for Rama said the donations The other donors who will Rama was the City Mayor in Noah Complex is being the liquidation of donations. for Noah Complex is managed give directly to the foundation collaboration with the De- managed now by former Cebu We will show to them that by Beautiful Cebu Movement are Ayala Corporation, SM partment of Public Works City councilor Joy Pesquera, there is no hocus-pocus on Foundation and will not go to Corporation, Metro Pacificand Highways (DPWH) and a lawyer and accountant by this project.” Rama said the Cebu City government. Corporation and FILINVEST Cebu Governor Gwendolyn profession. Some national officials The collaborators and Inc. All their donations will Garcia. ELIAS BAQUERO Mandatory safety training now online THE mandatory safety “Not all safety training Safety Training Organizations mally conducted would in- training conducted by the Oc- organizations are autho- or STOs offering trainings are clude the following, namely: cupational Safety and Health rized to conduct mandato- legitimate. Basic Occupational Safety (OSHC) is now online. ry safety trainings unless “Normally, in Central and Health Training (BOSH); According to Engr. Gines- they’ve passed the qualifi- Visayas, we have the OSHC Construction Safety and Timosa of the OSHC-Region- catory screening made the conducting trainings as well Health Training (COSH); al Extension Unit-7, present- OSHC-Central Office,” saidas the Occupational Safety Construction Safety Train- ly, it’s the Training for Safety Engr. Timosa. and Health Network (OSH- ing; Appreciation Course on Officer I that’s being - con DOLE-7 Regional Direc- NET-) and a OSH; Appreciation Course Free Workplace; Training on ducted online. And the same, tor Salome O. Siaton, who few others like the Cebu Con- for a Drug-Free Workplace; the Work-Relatedness of Dis- he said, is being facilitated also sits at Chairperson of the tractors Association,” said the Crane Safety; Forklift Safe- eases; Training on Ergonom- for the meantime by the OS- DOLE Regional Coordinat- Regional Director. ty; Training on Managing ics in the Workplace; Scaffold HC-Central Office, while the ing Committee (DOLE RCC- She added that due to the Emerging Health Issues in Safety Training; Training of facilities at the Regional level 7) where the OSHC REU-7 present situation, trainings the Workplace; Seminar on Trainers on OSH; and Train- are being upgraded. is a member, cautions all of and seminars or even meet- the Safe use of Chemicals at ing for Fire Safety Practi- He reminded those inter- those who want to undergo ings are now done online in Work; Training on Industrial tioners. ested to take the training to the mandatory safety train- order to observe the safety Ventilation; Work Environ- Almost all of the services be wary of other safety train- ings to be vigilant and to al- and health measures during ment Measurement Training of the OSHC REU-7 are done ing organizations as not all ways check at the website of the pandemic. Workshop; Training on As- online except for the interview are accredited by the OSHC. the OSHC whether or not the The safety trainings nor- sessment Teams for a Drug- of the OSHC Practitioner. Cebu Business Week July 13 - 19, 2020 9 CEBU CITY PAGE A paper within the paper City Hall disinfected OPERATIONS at the out was also modified to “ef- were suspend- fectively observe physical ed for two days, from July distancing of those reporting 9 to 0, 2020 (Thursday and to the workplace.” Friday) as its offices and - fa Personnel of the Depart- cilities underwent thorough ment of General Services disinfection. (DGS) and Department of City Administrator Floro Public Services (DPS) have Casas Jr. had announced in been directed to conduct the a memorandum that all of- two-day building disinfec- fice works in the Executivetion. and Legislative buildings and DGS and DPS workers other building outside the also disinfected the offices City Hall are halted, exclud- inside and outside the City ing field workers. Hall, respectively. Casas said the office lay- House to extend aid to Cebu City MEMBERS of the House (ECQ) and General through Bayanihan Recover the economic recovery of the severely devastated by the of Representatives of the Community Quarantine as One Act and through the country especially to places pandemic. 18th Congress led by House (GCQ) so he is praying for stimulus bills filed by some Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano the health and economic congressmen.,” Cayetano will send medical and health survival of Cebu City and said. supplies to Cebu City to assist Cebu Province. “The health and economic frontliners and Coronavirus Cayetano said in behalf recovery of the nation is in Disease 2019 (COVID-19) of all members of Congress our minds and this is now patients. who donated portions of the time to plant despite of A check of P1 million will their salaries and all Cebu all the struggles.”he added. also be donated to the city Congressmen in consultation He invited Rep. Martin to help contain the dreaded with Cebu City Mayor Edgar Romualdez to the turn-over virus. Labella and Presidential ceremony. Romualdez’s wife Health and medical Assistant Michael Dino, is a Cebuana and a veteran in supplies to be donated will he would like to assure the calamities in Tacloban City. consist of 2,000 sets Personal Cebuanos that they are not For his part, Romualdez, Protective Equipments left behind. the house minority leader, (PPEs), 10 units laptop, 200 Cayetano said he wanted said he wants Cebu to recover pieces non-contact infrared to inform the Cebuanos in early as he is a Cebuano by thermometer, 200 boxes Cebu and the Cebuanos in choice. AD-C Plus vitamins and Manila that they are not Cayetano said that the other essential supplies. forgotten in this time of House will guarantee to pass Cayetano said it’s hard crisis. “We ask Cebu officialsBayanihan II also known as to be under Enhanced what their other needs “Recover as One Act” and Community Quarantine are so we can appropriate other measures to hasten Labella urges prayers for “our community” “ THE fight against disease.” Cebuanos a verse from “Song of Ascents” starts. The city chief execu- COVID-19 is unrelenting “And let us always say a the book of Psalms that The Psalms are songs of tive then wished everyone and has exacted a heavy toll prayer for our community.” celebrate the unity of a worship. The verse then a blessed Sunday and en- on our community. Today This was the message people. “It is the kind of continues to talk about this couraged the people to pray let us remember those of Cebu City Mayor Edgar unity that I think we need goodness of unity and ends for one another. “Let us we’ve lost. Let us keep in Labella to the Cebuanos, as we continue to battle this with the exhortation that it treasure our time with fam- our hearts those they’ve left sharing in their grief and pandemic,” said Labella. is in harmony that we find ily at home. Let us gather behind. Let us keep in our smidgen of hope that there “How good and pleasant blessing: “For there the strength and steel our re- mind the brave frontliners is life beyond Covid-19. it is when God’s people Lord bestows his blessing, solve for the battles ahead that continue to battle the He shared with the live together in unity!” The even life forevermore.” of us,” he said. 10 July 13 - 19, 2020 Cebu Business Week BUSINESS

The Academe AROUND THE WORLD CHED allows med schools to admit Oil spikes as IEA boosts demand forecast Oil prices climbed more than 2% after the International students who have not taken NMAT Energy Agency (IEA) bumped up its 2020 demand forecast but THE Commission on for admission to medical ernment’s coronavirus task record-breaking new coronavirus cases in the United States Higher Education (CHED) school,” CHED Chairman force approved the CHED lightened expectations for a fast recovery in fuel consumption. has authorized medical Prospero de Vera III said in resolution to open classes Prices also found support after data showed U.S. energy schools to admit students a press statement. in colleges and universities firms cut the number of oil and natural gas rigs operating to a who have not taken the Na- The policy will only be based on mode of teaching. record low for a 10th week in a row. tional Medical Admission for school year 2020-2021. Educational institutions that Brent crude LCOc1 settled up 89 cents, or 2%, at $43.24 a Test (NMAT) for school year CHED said there were about use “flexible” learning may barrel and U.S. oil CLc1 settled up 93 cents, or 2.4%, at $40.55 2020-2021, subject to regu- 9,000 registered NMAT appli- be allowed to open any time a barrel. lar admission requirements. cants. The NMAT will proceed in August. A strong stock market also boosted oil prices. A slate of The commission said on online from August 10 to 20. “Flexible learning” in- economic data, including a record monthly payrolls addition, Wednesday, July 1, that this The NMAT is a standard- volves a combination of digi- pointed to a revival in U.S. business activity in June. is in view of the NMAT’s post- ized test for medical school tal and non-digital technolo- The Paris-based IEA raised its demand forecast to 92.1 ponement due to the corona- admission. There are cur- gy, which CHED says doesn’t million barrels per day (bpd), up 400,000 bpd from its outlook virus pandemic. The Center rently 56 higher education necessarily require an inter- last month. for Educational Measure- institutions in the country net connection. (READ:Dur- ment (CEM) was supposed authorized to offer the doctoring pandemic, student climbs Lebanon holds talks with IMF, to administer the NMAT on of medicine program. a mountain to send class re- A Lebanese delegation held a meeting with the International March 1. De Vera earlier an- quirement) Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday, the first since the talks were “The Commission, in its nounced that CHED is for- Experts at the Universi- declared on hold last week. en banc meeting on June mulating guidelines for “pos- ty of the Philippines earlier Lebanon began talks with the IMF in May, hoping to secure 30, responded to the call of sible limited face-to-face warned the transmission of aid to tackle a financial crisis considered the biggest threat to many students who want to classes” in July in low-risk COVID-19 might increase the country since its 1975-1990 civil war. pursue their medical educa- modified general community should face-to-face classes The meeting, attended by Energy Minister Raymond tion but were not able to take quarantine areas. open in Metro Manila schools Ghajar, dealt with reforms in the state-owned electricity sector, the NMAT which is required On May 14, the gov- in August and September. which has depleted state funds for decades and is seen as one of the major causes of the crisis. The talks have been stalled by an argument over the scale of financial losses that has embroiled the government, the central bank, commercial banks and lawmakers from Lebanon’s main political parties. Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni said last week the talks were on hold pending the start of economic reforms and agreement on the losses.

TikTok stops Hong Kong ops after security law TikTok, a global popular short dance video has halted operations in Hong Kong after China imposed a new security law on the city. The law has restricted freedoms raising concerns of official lapse of social media. acebook and Twitter are also reviewing operations in Hong Kong. TikTok was launched outside of mainland China by Beijing-based ByteDance. It has come under scrutiny from the US and other countries because of concerns it could share user data with Chinese authorities. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and an Australian member of parliament have recently suggested more scrutiny to the app’s data and privacy policies because its headquarters are in China. Pompeo has banned state department employees from downloading the app and suggested the app could also be banned in the US. However, the company denied that it represented a security risk. “TikTok is led by an American CEO (former Disney executive Kevin Mayer based in Los Angeles), with hundreds of employees and key leaders across safety, security, product, and In view of the uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and after due public policy here in the US. We have no higher priority than consultation with our stakeholders, the University shall NOT INCREASE its tuition and promoting a safe and secure app experience for our users,” a other school fees for the Academic Year 2020-2021 in all levels. spokesman said. “We have never provided user data to the Chinese In addition, the University shall implement its provisional discounts to ease the government, nor would we do so if asked,.” the spokesman burden on our students and their families. Rest be assured that CIT-U shall continue said. to be sensitive to the needs and difficulties besetting everyone, even as the University ByteDance is evaluating changes to the corporate structure ceaselessly improves its services. of its TikTok business. Cebu Business Week July 13 - 19, 2020 11 LIGHTER SIDE FUn TRiVIA

Do you know that… 1. The fear of thunder is also known as astraphobia, astrapophobia, keraunophobia or tonitrophobia? 2. The Twitter bird’s name is Larry? The name comes from Larry Bird, who is a famous Hall of Fame basketball player. 3. Six tentacles of octopuses serve as arms, while the other two are their “legs.”? They use six tentacles just to eat. 4. A group of tortoises is called a creep? Not to be confused with turtles, as a group of them are known as a bale, turn, dole, or nest. 5. Obesophobia is the Fear of gaining weight? Now you know!

Best Quotes from Successful People “I got lucky because I never gave up the search. Are you quitting too soon? Or, are you willing to pursue luck with a vengeance?” — Jill Konrath, speaker, author and thought leader

“A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” — Colin Powell, US statesman and retired four-star General in the United States Army

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Contact perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or +63 927 872 1514 and 09188465286 learning to do.” — Pele, Brazilian retired for more info professional footballer 12 July 13 - 19, 2020 Cebu Business Week SPORTS PBA’s Slaughter joins BeoBasket GREG Slaughter of the icks’ Boban Marjanovic, and The signing is regarded Philippine Basketball Asso- Phoenix Suns’ Dario Saric. as part of Slaughter’s thrust ciation (PBA) has announced “They represent many to join the Philippine na- that he has joined BeoBasket, athletes whom I greatly ad- tional basketball team the biggest international bas- mire that compete in the in the 2023 FIBA ketball agency in the world. NBA, EuroLeague, and Asia,” World Cup. Slaughter, who is cur- he said. “I will al- rently staying in the US, re- “They also represented ways proudly cently took a time off from the most number of players represent the the PBA after failing to get a competing in the 2019 World Philippines, contract extension from Ba- Cup and I look forward to especially our rangay Ginebra. adding to that in 2023! I am National Team. In an Instagram post, also extremely honored to I will forever be Slaughter said that he is ex- be the first Filipino playerhumbled by the tremely honored to be the in their roster. Wherever my opportunities first Filipino player in theirjourney takes me, I will al- basketball and roster which included the ways proudly represent the its fans have given likes of Denver Nuggets’ Ni- Philippines, especially our me,” PBA’s big man kola Jokic, Dallas Maver- national team,” he said. said. Taekwondo 2020 Online National Speed Kicking Championships THE Philippine Tae- More than 1,600 which include for toddlers (7 and seniors. The online tournament kwondo Association (PTA) participants are expected to year old and younger), grade- Members of the national was conceptualized following will hold its inaugural 2020 join in various categories, schoolers, cadets, juniors squad are mandated to join. the recent Online Daeu Online National Speed Kick- Open European Poomsae ing Championships as an en- Championships in May, in couragement and motivation which 3 Filipino jins won to the country’’s jins. gold medals. The tournament is the Samson said the speed first around the world and kicking championships is just will give local jins a platform one of several tournaments to showcase skills they have the PTA, is lining up for the been honing during home country’s taekwondo jins. quarantine. Online tournaments will “This will showcase be part of the new norm for display of techniques, taekwondo, as contact sports kyorugi movements, and are still prohibited by the different kicking skills in 60 Inter-Agency Task Force on seconds,” said PTA Secretary Emerging Infectious Diseas- General Rocky Samson. THE PHILIPPINE TAEKWANDO TEAM es (IATF) due to COVID-19. PH football body gets nod from IATF, issues guidelines on training THE Inter-Agency Task posed by the current pan- clubs are required to under- individual label and subject tion of team benches, goal Force on Emerging Infec- demic,” the federation said. go mandatory temperature to disinfection before and af- posts, corner flags, all train- tious Diseases (IATF) had Some of the guidelines checks prior to entry to their ter training session. ing equipment (cones, lad- given the green light for the are: training ground. Sanitation mats are also ders, balls, etc.), medical resumption of training for PFL players and staff Only a maximum of ten a requisite in the entrances equipment, and parts of the professional football and must yield a negative result 10 persons will be allowed and exits of the teams’ train- surface before and after the basketball teams in the coun- of COVID-19 in the reverse to attend team training, ing venues team practice sessions. try last July 3. transcription-polymerase with a strict observance of a Strict observance of Immediate isolation will The Philippine Football chain reaction (RT-PCR) test 30-minute interval before a physical distancing during be observed if a club member Federation (PFF) released on to be conducted by the PFF separate group of 10 players their training exercises. experiences any symptoms Monday its protocols on the before being allowed to train. arrive for practice. Close-contact drills like related to COVID-19. Proper resumption of Philippines All players, coaches, and Hand disinfectants, sanitiz- tackling and set pieces are health authorities must be Football League (PFL) clubs’ other essential personnel ers, or alcohol must be read- not allowed. notified. The person should training. must wear face masks at all ily available in entrances and No inter-zonal travel be referred to a hospital for “The PFF also takes this times inside the training ven- common areas, the PFF add- among the league players evaluation and treatment. opportunity to wish each PFL ue and when they are in their ed. and staff. “It is the club’s and the clubs good health and all the respective service vehicles or No sharing of water bot- Spectators are barred individual’s responsibility to best in the combined efforts team buses. tles and towels among club from entering the training follow the guidelines of the to return to playing football All players, coaches, members. Players must bring venues at all times. health authorities,” the PFF even under the challenges and other staff of the PFL personal water bottles, with Immediate disinfec- stressed.