DUTERTE APPROVES LUZON-WIDE COMMUNITY QUARANTINE UNTIL APRIL 30

MANILA - The enhanced community quarantine in Luzon is extended until April

30, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Tuesday.

In a late night address Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte's late night

address where he said the government is "inclined to extend the lockdown up

to April 30."

Nograles, in a virtual briefing Tuesday morning, said that the president

accepted the Inter-agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging

Infectious Diseases' recommendation to extend the ECQ in Luzon.

"Our [IATF's] recommendation to President Duterte is accepted by the

President, and he announced it last night," Nograles said in a mix of

English and Filipino.

"We verified it and the answer was the ECQ is hereby extended until 11:59

p.m. until April 30," he added.

As of Monday, the Philippines confirmed 3,660 cases including 163 deaths and

73 recoveries. Among Filipinos abroad, the Department of Foreign Affairs

tallied 535 cases, 347 of whom are undergoing treatment, 133 have recovered

and 55 have died.

Nograles said the IATF passed two resolutions on Monday night. In Resolution

No. 20, the IATF formally recommended "the extension of the implementation

of the [ECQ] in the entirety of Luzon up to April 30, 2020" to the Office of

the President.

He added that the resolution noted that exemptions previously granted by the

IATF and the Office of the President shall continue in the duration of the

extended enhanced community quarantine.

"Such extension of the ECQ shall be without prejudice to the discretion of

the president to relax that implementation of the ECQ in some local

jurisdictions or the ranting of exemptions in favor of certain sectors such

as public health considerations and food security may warrant," Nograles

also said.

'MODIFIED' LOCKDOWN EXTENSION NEEDED TO FLATTEN THE CURVE: GOV'T SPECIAL

ADVISER

MANILA - The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon should be extended

but modified in order for the country to gain from the current lockdown, one

of the government's special advisers on the COVID-19 pandemic said Tuesday.

The virus' reproduction curve, or its transmission to the community, is

flattening but it is only "shortlived," according to University of the

Philippines executive Vice President Ted Herbosa.

"We just moved what we call the epidemic peak, highest point of where

transmission will be, a little further to the right of the graph.

So we need to gain this success and continue with it," he told ANC.

"We're intending to recommend to the chief implementor for an extension

because that way we can benefit from the gains of this enhanced community

quarantine."

Herbosa said among the modifications he would recommend is the universal

wearing of masks.

"There's talk of allowing essential activities to have free flow of goods

and services so that the communities that are vulnerable will not suffer so

much," he said.

The current projection of the epidemic's peak will be in May to June,

Herbosa said, citing data from UP's researchers.

"There are models that say the peak will be in late April or mid May or even

up to June. It all depends on the public health interventions that our govt

will be implementing and how sociwty will follow all those measures," he

said.

"If the measures are followed directly, probably our peak will be much much

later and much much lower, allowing our health system to cope."

It would take 45 to 75 days in order to flatten the pandemic curve, Herbosa

said.

DUTERTE ASKS FILIPINOS: PRAY TOGETHER ON HOLY WEDNESDAY AS PHILIPPINES FIGHT

COVID-19

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has asked Filipinos to pray together on

Wednesday as the Philippines struggles with the coronavirus disease 2019

(COVID-19).

"This being the Holy Week, I am calling on the nation to come together this

Holy Wednesday afternoon and pay tribute to the indomitable spirit of the

Filipino and unite in one prayer to God to fight our common enemy," the

president said in a televised address Monday night.

Christians have been observing the Holy Week, which commemorates the passion

and death of Jesus Christ, since Sunday.

Duterte, who previously described himself as a believer of a Supreme Being

but not of organized religion, said God is "the only one who can really

solve the problem for us." He said the COVID-19 pandemic won't be solved

until scientists discover a vaccine.

While calling for unity in prayer, Duterte could not help but take pot shots

at the Roman Catholic Church, which has been critical of his brutal war on

illegal drugs, a campaign that has left more than 5,000 drug suspects dead.

"My God is the true God. It's only one God... I just talk to one God so a

word is enough. I don't want several intermediaries like saints, as if there

is a checkpoint. I go directly (to God). And I do not hear masses. My God is

God the Father. He is only one," Duterte said.

DUTERTE VOWS TO FIND WAYS TO HELP MIDDLE CLASS AMID LUZON LOCKDOWN

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to find ways to help the middle

class while the government is implementing a lockdown in Luzon to stop the

spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

While admitting that the multi-billion peso aid he recently unveiled may not

be enough to support low-income households in two months, Duterte said the

government cannot just focus on the poorest of the poor.

The president said he agreed with Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, who wrote him

recently to call for the inclusion of the middle class in the government

program aimed at assisting sectors sidelined by the lockdown.

"I will discuss it when I reach the point raised by Governor Remulla of

Cavite which I think is valid. We'll try to remedy whatever kung may mapulot

pa tayo sa daan (if we pick something along the way)," Duterte said in a

televised address Monday night.

"Governor Jonvic Remulla wrote me... He (was) appealing to include the

middle class in their constituency because they also need help. I agree. I

know the political economic horizon of the country," he added.

Duterte said members of the middle class are also feeling the pinch because

they also incur expenses.

"They (middle class) have money deposited for the rainy days. Now what is

really very sad is that the rain has arrived," he said.

The middle class, however, may have to wait until next month before they

receive assistance.

PHILIPPINES GIVES P16.34-B EMERGENCY AID TO 3.72M FAMILIES: REPORT

MANILA - The government has distributed a total of P16.34 billion in cash

aid to 3.72 million indigent families nearly 2 weeks since the executive

department was allowed to reallocate funds to cushion the economic impact of

the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to President Rodrigo

Duterte's second report to Congress released Monday.

The report said the Department of Social Welfare and Development on April 2,

2020 "released and deposited said emergency subsidy amounting to

P16,347,295,950.00 to the accounts of not less than 3,721,833 beneficiaries

of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program." It said beneficiaries were able

to withdraw the emergency subsidy starting April 3.

Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, each beneficiary will receive P5,000

to P8,000 for 2 months, depending on which region they are residing in.

The government will "deliver the emergency subsidy fully in cash, on top of

the food packs support provided by the local government units," the report

read.

The aid released as of April 3 was less than 10 percent of a P200-billion

package for low-income families who may have lost their jobs due to the

nearly 2-month lockdown in Luzon.

A "Livelihood Assistance Grant" will also be released on April 14 to help

businesses "start up new or enhance existing micro-enterprises, among

others," it said.

Other government agencies are also crafting relief packages to avoid the

bankruptcy of farmers and small businesses.

SOCIECONOMIC PLANNING CHIEF SEEKS LOOSENING OF LOCKDOWN FOR SOME BUSINESSES

MANILA -- Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said Tuesday he

was in favor of some easing to the Luzon lockdown, to allow more businesses

to reopen and manufacturing to resume.

Produce from provinces north of Metro Manila should be allowed to enter the

region. Some companies should be allowed to ferry workers to offices to

ensure that social distancing is observed, he told ANC.

"We need to ramp up agricultural supply. Manufacturing industries need to

come back to life," Pernia said.

"Restrictions on movement of people are still tight. We can loosen some of

that," he said.

The Philippines is preparing at least 3 government buildings as quarantine

centers as it ramps up testing. As of Monday, it confirmed 3,660 cases

including 163 deaths and 73 recoveries.

REMITTANCES COULD DECLINE IF COVID-19 DISRUPTION PERSISTS: PERNIA

MANILA -- The coronavirus pandemic could shave 20 to 30 percent off dollar

remittances from Filipinos overseas, as the contagion halts businesses

worldwide, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said Tuesday.

Overseas Filipino workers or OFWs are either coming home to their families

or waiting for the resumption of economic activity in their countries of

assignment, Pernia told ANC.

Cash remittances, or those coursed through banks and financial institutions,

hit a record $30 billion (P1.5 trillion) in 2019, helping drive consumption

and strengthening the peso against the dollar.

"We can expect maybe 20 to 30 percent reduction in OFW remittances if this

COVID pandemic persists in some form or another," Pernia said.

"We have to look for other sources of finance at the same time, we are also

losing revenue from taxes because economic activity has been down and even

trade has been down also," he said.

As of Monday, the Philippines confirmed 3,660 cases including 163 deaths and

73 recoveries. Among Filipinos abroad, the Department of Foreign Affairs

tallied 535 cases, 347 of whom are undergoing treatment, 133 have recovered

and 55 have died.

The country's coronavirus task force recommended an extension of the

lockdown of millions in Luzon to April 30.

CONSUMER DEMAND 'ALIVE' DURING LOCKDOWN AS MARCH INFLATION EASES TO 2.5

PERCENT

MANILA -- (UPDATE) Inflation in March eased from the previous month, with

millions locked down in their homes to fight the coronavirus pandemic,

official data released Tuesday showed.

The consumer price index rose 2.5 from 2.6 percent in February. The median

forecast of economists in a Bloomberg poll was for a 2.3-percent rise while

the central bank's research arm forecasted a 2 to 2.8-percent increase.

"We're seeing that demand is still alive and well. There's still demand to

be able to meet the demand of basic goods. That's also good producers, it

also means they're still earning," Security Bank economist Dan Roces said.

"But in a way, it's also reflective of some disruption in the supply chain,"

he said. "If its extended, we'll probably see the same behavior in terms of

consumption."

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia described March inflation as

"benign."

KOKO SUED OVER MAKATI MED VISIT

MANILA - A criminal complaint was filed yesterday against Sen. Aquilino

"Koko" Pimentel before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for breaching

quarantine protocols when he visited the Makati Medical Center (MMC) despite

showing symptoms of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 on March 24.

Pimentel had explained that he was already in the hospital when he got a

call from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, confirming that he

had tested positive for COVID-19.

His wife Kathryna said he had been on 10-day quarantine because of virus

symptoms before the visit.

In a complaint e-mailed to the DOJ, lawyer Rico Quicho cited Pimentel's

alleged violation of Republic Act 11332 or the law on mandatory reporting of

notifiable diseases and events of public health concern.

The offense carries a penalty of up to six months in prison on top of fines.

"We are one with the Filipino people in condemning his reckless acts, which

exposed the public, especially health workers to the virus," Quicho said.

"He blatantly violated laws, which put the health of medical frontliners and

ordinary citizens at risks."

Quicho said Pimentel has "categorically admitted his breach without remorse.

And because of his position, he is still not being made accountable."

Quicho expressed hope that the DOJ will act on the complaint.

"We hope that the DOJ will be true to its commitment to uphold the rule of

law without fear or favor," he said.

Pimentel said he has not read the complaint, adding he was not familiar with

the procedure of filing complaints by e-mail.

"To be fair to me, I hope Quicho furnishes me with a copy so I can answer,"

Pimentel told reporters through Viber.

INDEX SOARS BY 224 POINTS

MANILA - The stock market soared by more than 200 points yesterday, opening

the week on a strong note.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi), the stock market

gauge, rose by 223.84 points, or 4.18 percent, to finish at 5,570.81.

Likewise, the broader All Shares rallied by 101.09 points, or 3.10 percent,

to close at 3,360.75.

Most indexes were up as well, ending the trading session on a strong note

for all sectors.

Total value turnover reached P4.856 billion. Market breadth was positive

with 119 gainers against 76 losers, while 41 issues were unchanged.

"The positive cues from Wall Street sent the local bourse higher by 223.84

points or 4.18 percent to finish at 5,570.81. Industrials led a broad based

advanced with gainers edging losers, 119 to 76," Philstocks Financials said.

Market investors welcomed a slew of positive developments including signs of

improvements in Europe on the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 or

COVID-19 pandemic, traders said.

COPS GET REPRIEVE ON LOAN PAYMENTS

MANILA - The Philippine National Police has implemented a 30-day moratorium

on loan payments for PNP personnel.

PNP chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa issued the directive to augment the

financial needs of police officers.

Gamboa asked the Armed Forces and Police Savings and Loan Association Inc.,

Public Safety Savings and Loan Association Inc., Air Materiel Wing Savings

and Loan Association Inc., PNP Provident Fund, Public Safety Mutual Benefit

Fund Inc. and Armed Forces and Police Mutual Benefit Fund Inc. to implement

the moratorium.

He said the reprieve would increase the take-home pay of police officers

with outstanding loans from the financial institutions.

The move is expected to benefit 205,000 PNP personnel and their families who

are also affected by the enhanced community quarantine, according to Gamboa.

Loan payments will be extended for one month and monthly amortization will

resume next month, the PNP said.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

IZA CALZADO GRATEFUL FOR SUPPORT, PRAYERS DURING HER BATTLE VS COVID-19

MANILA - For the first time since recovering from COVID-19, actress Iza

Calzado thanked everyone who supported her throughout her ordeal.

In a pre-recorded message which aired on "ASAP Natin 'To" on Sunday, Calzado

said she will always be grateful for the support and prayers she's received

during this difficult time in her life.

She then encouraged everyone to continue praying until the battle against

the COVID-19 has been won over.

"Gusto kong magpasalamat sa inyong lahat, sa inyong tulong at sa inyong

dasal. Sana po ay patuloy tayong magdasal at lumaban dahil kasama po ang

ating mga frontliners, sama-sama tayong magdadamayan bilang Pilipino," she

said.

In was last March 30 when Calzado's manager Noel Ferrer announced that her

test result confirmed she no longer has the COVID-19.

Calzado first revealed on March 25 she had been suffering from pneumonia.

Three days later, Ferrer said that his ward tested positive for COVID-19.

Calzado is the second showbiz personality to be infected with COVID-19,

after screen veteran Christopher de Leon.

DINGDONG DANTES HELPS CONNECT QUARANTINED JOB SEEKERS TO WORK-FROM-HOME

OPPORTUNITIES

MANILA - Amid the coronavirus lockdown that has cost many Filipinos their

livelihood, actor Dingdong Dantes is helping connect job seekers to

work-from-home opportunities through his foundation.

Over the weekend, the former National Youth Commission head announced a

collaboration among his advoacy group Yes Pinoy, online job portals, and the

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

On Twitter, Dantes wrote: "Gusto mo ba ng trabaho habang naka-home

quarantine? May online jobs para sa freelancers, sa mga naghahanap ng

alternative work, at sa K-12/HS grads. May home-based jobs din na 'no

experience needed' at interview na pwedeng sa phone lang! Ayos!"

Dantes linked to a page listing the jobs.

Yes Pinoy's statement said it supports the campaign, dubbed #SanaOL, to

"help our kababayans who lost their livehood because of the COVID-19

crisis."

The Luzon-wide lockdown has forced most business establishments to close,

with the exception of those providing basic necessities including food and

medicine.

The labor department has since distributed one-time P5,000 financial

assistance to workers with reduced or no income due to the pandemic.

SPORTS

SILVER SAYS NO NBA DECISIONS LIKELY UNTIL MAY

LOS ANGELES -- (UPDATED) NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says he thinks it will

be at least May before any decision can be made about the resumption of the

2019-20 season that was shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Essentially, what I've told my folks over the last week is that we just

should just accept that, at least for the month of April, we won't be in a

position to make any decisions," Silver said Monday in an interview that was

live streamed on the NBA's Twitter account.

"And I don't think that necessarily means on May 1 we will be," he added.

With continuing uncertainty over how the virus will continue to spread and

when it might be contained Silver said no decision had been made as to

whether to try to complete the regular season or possibly go straight to the

playoffs.

Nor has the league homed in on scenarios such as staging a tournament-style

playoffs in a single location, in one recent report possibly Las Vegas.

"I don't want to leave the suggestion that we're not doing everything we

possibly can to restart under the right circumstances," Silver said.

He noted, however, that once play can resume, the options won't be

unlimited.

"I will say, as I look out into the summer there does come a point where we

would start impacting next season," he said.

Silver said the league was still considering resuming play without fans,

whether in NBA arenas, at practice facilities or in a single site

tournament-style playoffs.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 50.72

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We are defined by how we use our power. - Gerry Spence