DUTERTE TO LGUS: STAND DOWN, FOLLOW GUIDELINES MANILA — President Duterte has appealed to the nation to follow the guidelines laid down by the national government for addressing the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and for local government units to be united in the implementation of measures to contain the disease, including restricting the movement of people as part of an enhanced community quarantine. The entire Luzon is now in “the stage of a lockdown,” meaning everyone should stay home and avoid unnecessary travel outside their residences, Duterte said after a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases at Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang late Thursday evening. “At this time I do not think it is just a quarantineÂ… I think that we are already in the stage of a lockdown simply because the contagion continues to take its toll in the countryside,” he said. “We are in a critical time. We have resorted to this extreme measure of an enhanced quarantine for Luzon, because the magnitude of the threat that we are facing calls for it,” the President said in a televised message. “By its nature, it severely restricts the freedom of movement of our countrymen, and thus deprives many people of the ability of earning a living for the coming weeks,” Duterte added. DOH ANNOUNCES 5 LABS TO SPEED UP COVID-19 TESTING, SAYS 100,000 TEST KITS DONATED MANILA — The Department of Health on Friday said that COVID-19 tests can now be done in 5 laboratories across the Philippines. “Tayo ngayon ay may 5 nang subnational laboratories na magpoproseso ng test results,” said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire during a televised conference. These are San Lazaro Hospital, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu and Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City. “Besides the 5, we are setting up 2 more — Western Visayas Medical Center and Bicol Public Health Laboratory,” Vergeire said in Filipino. “The UP National Institutes for Health are also being mobilized so they can help in our laboratory capacity.” Vergeire said the increased number of laboratories processing COVID-19 tests would allow them to get results for 50 to 300 tests per day. “Dahil dito mas mapapabilis na ang paglabas ng resulta ng tests,” she said. She also added that the Philippines has received around 100,000 test kits from different donors. BANGKO SENTRAL READIES FULL ARSENAL TO RESCUE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY FROM COVID-19 MANILA -- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday it was prepared to deploy its full monetary and regulatory arsenal to help the economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The 50-point cut in the benchmark interest rate last Thursday is "appropriate" and the Monetary Board is monitoring the situation to determine if further reductions are warranted, the BSP said. Citing its latest assessment, the BSP said the economic impact of the pandemic could last until the second half of the year with a rebound "expected" by 2021. The slowdown will hit tourism, trade and remittances, the central bank said. "The BSP is prepared to use the full range of its monetary instruments and to deploy monetary policy and regulatory relief measures as needed in fulfillment of its price and financial stability objectives," the BSP said. The central bank is ready with "supplemental actions" including recalibrating its interest rate corridor settings and suspending the term deposit facility, it said. "Some measure of coordination" among the world's central banks is "warranted," the BSP said. "At the moment, some central banks have been conducting information exchange on how their jurisdictions currently cope with the situation, which has served as a learning platform for monetary authorities across the globe." LEADING PH EXPERT ON CHINA SUCCUMBS TO SUSPECTED COVID-19 MANILA—A Filipino academician, considered as a leading expert on China, passed away early Saturday morning due to suspected COVID-19. Professor Aileen Baviera died at 3:55 a.m. at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, where she was confined due to severe pneumonia. She was 61. At the time of her death, the hospital was still awaiting official test results to determine if she was indeed suffering from COVID-19, a fast-spreading disease which has killed 18 people in the country, based on official government figures as of March 20. She previously travelled to Paris, France where she was believed to have caught the virus. A post from the UP Diliman Facebook paged confirmed the death of the former dean of its Asian Center and “one of the countryÂ’s foremost sinologists.” BavieraÂ’s colleague, professor Francisco Lara, described her as a “giant among scholars here and abroad, our foremost sinologist and expert on the West Philippine Sea.” “She gave her mind and soul to our country as a consistent and strong advocate of a strong and independent but collaborative foreign policy approach toward our neighbors in Asia and the world,” Lara told ABS-CBN News. HOSPITALS SEND SOS PGH, CALOOCAN HOSPITAL TO GET COVID CASES MANILA — At The Medical City in Pasig, about 140 doctors and nurses are now on quarantine, with some doctors on respirators, after being exposed to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. In a joint statement yesterday, 11 hospitals and medical centers warned that the healthcare system could crash due to a continued increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, which is depleting their workforce. “This unprecedented and escalating medical crisis cuts across borders. If we do not put our acts together, the prospect of the healthcare delivery systems crashing down is imminent and real. It is already happening,” they said. They described as “alarming” the number of nurses, resident physicians, consultants and hospital employees who are undergoing 14-day quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure, and recommended that the government “centralize all efforts and resources into one or two COVID-19 hospitals, adequately equipped and invested upon by the government.” SOUTH KOREA REPORTS FIRST FILIPINO COVID-19 PATIENT MANILA — A Filipino based in South Korea was confirmed to have caught COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. This is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 infection involving a Filipino in the East Asian nation. The Philippine Embassy in South Korea said the patient traveled overseas before exhibiting symptoms. He was tested at a hospital in South Korea on Thursday and was confirmed to be positive for COVID-19 on Friday. “The Embassy is in close coordination with the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health authorities and stands ready to extend assistance to the COVID-19 positive Filipino national as needed,” it said. ILOILO, PANGASINAN TOWN ON LOCKDOWN MANILA — Bayambang town in Pangasinan will be shut down after midnight today following the death of one of its residents died due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) yesterday. The patient, who died at the Lung Center of the Philippines, was tested early this month, but the result was released only yesterday. “No one is allowed to enter or exit the municipality until March 28 or until further notice,” the local government said in a post on Facebook. The Department of Health in coordination with the townÂ’s rural health unit is monitoring those who had contact with the fatality. Authorities said residents of Barangay Bical Norte, where another COVID-19 case was recorded, were asked to go on self-quarantine. The barangay will be sanitized, the municipal government said. In Iloilo, Gov. Arthur Defensor issued an executive order (EO) placing the province under enhanced community quarantine yesterday. PHILIPPINES A 'HAPPIER' COUNTRY AT 52ND PLACE IN THE WORLD — UN REPORT MANILA — The United NationsÂ’ annual World Happiness Report ranked the Philippines as the 52nd “happiest” country in the world. The country, with an average score of 6.006, was among the biggest gainers, moving 17 notches from its place last year—at 69th out of the 156 nations ranked. The Philippines ranked higher than its Southeast Asian peers such as Thailand (54th), Malaysia (82nd), Vietnam (83rd), Indonesia (84th), Laos (104th), Cambodia (106th) and Myanmar (133rd). The UN Sustainable Development Solutions NetworksÂ’ World Happiness Report 2020 ranked 156 countries using the Gallup World Poll and six factors: level of gross domestic product, life expectancy, generosity, social support, freedom and absence of corruption. A Social Weather Stations survey released in June 2019 found 44% of Filipino adults assessing their lives in general as “very happy.” Forty-nine percent said their lives are “fairly happy,” while 8% said they are unhappy. Experts at the United Nations declared Finland as the worldÂ’s happiest nation for the third year running with an average score of 7.809. Nordic countries such as Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden also ranked up high on the index. “Time and time again we see the reasons for wellbeing include good social support networks, social trust, honest governments, safe environments and healthy lives,” Jeffrey Sachs UN SDSN director, said. Meanwhile, the countries at the bottom of the list are those afflicted by extreme poverty and violence such as Zimbabwe, South Sudan and Afghanistan. PRIESTS SEEK TO EXORCISE PANDEMIC THROUGH PRAYER MANILA — Catholic exorcists are storming the heavens with prayers to end the global scourge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Fr. Jose Francisco Syquia, chief exorcist of the Archdiocese of Manila, on Thursday called on members of the Philippine Association of Catholic Exorcists (PACE) and priests to recite the “Prayers to Stem the Scourge of the Pandemic,” which was adapted from the Libera Nox Prayers of the Church. The prayer to fight COVID-19 was prepared by Fr. Winston Cabading, an exorcist of the Archdiocese of Manila. Cabading said the prayer, which has nine sections, is to be prayed at 8 p.m. every day “until the scourge of the pandemic is lifted by the Lord.” “Let us pray for our protection and of the whole world from this evil and from the father of this evil. The devil will surely use this present suffering and vulnerability in the world to launch a spiritual attack,” Syquia, PACE secretary-general, said. “Spiritual warfare is our ministry. This is the side of the battlefield that the Lord has called us to bolster, defend and fight in. May we fight the good fight,” Syquia said. He recommended the ringing of the “sanctus bells” from the Act of Contrition until the end of the Pope Leo XIII prayer during the 8 p.m. prayer and exorcism. JAILS ‘100 PERCENT SAFEÂ’ FROM COVID-19 — DILG MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has given assurance that stringent measures will continue to be implemented to ensure that all jails under its jurisdiction are free of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said jails under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) will be “100 percent safe” from the contagious virus. Año said they have suspended all visitations at BJMP facilities and all new inmates would be placed in mandatory quarantine first to ensure they do not carry the virus. “All detention cells remain COVID- free. This is the safest place now, we will not allow anyone to enter prison and detention cells. All visits are now restricted,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English at a press conference. There are 467 facilities under the management of the BJMP, with a congestion rate hitting 400 percent last year. Over 130,000 persons deprived of liberty are under custody by the BJMP. ALCOHOL HOARDERS FALL IN RAIDS MANILA — Police have arrested separately in Manila and Caloocan City three people caught selling overpriced alcohol, which has greatly increased in demand as fear of getting infected with 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hounds Filipinos. Operatives from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group nabbed the three during separate operations on Thursday. The first operation led to the arrest of Jeffrey Zapanta and Albert Mandap in Sangandaan, who were caught selling ethyl alcohol at double the normal retail price. They were nabbed for allegedly selling 500ml of ethyl alcohol for P140, twice the ceiling price of P61 to P74.25. Police said they received several online complaints regarding the operations of the two suspects. Recovered during the operation were over 120 bottles of alcohol, worth P23,620. The third suspect, identified as Evangeline Endozo, was arrested for selling overpriced alcohol at a medical supplies store in Bambang, Manila. METRO COPS PREPARED TO ADDRESS POSSIBLE LOOTING MANILA — The National Capital Region Police Office is ready to deal with looters, but reports of looting incidents circulating on social media are false, the NCRPO commander said yesterday. “We have a contingency plan for looting to be implemented immediately,” NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas assured the public. He said security measures have been implemented in and around supermarkets in Metro Manila to prevent looting. “I would like to reiterate to the public that no such looting was yet reported to have happened in the metro. The photo circulating on social media showing people who climbed McKinley Hill subdivisionÂ’s wall is not true,” Sinas said, referring to the area in Taguig. He also clarified that an alleged looting incident in Binondo, Manila on March 18 was actually a snatching incident involving a Chinese national and a child in conflict with the law. The crime rate in Metro Manila went down by 80 percent since the initial implementation of the community quarantine last weekend, Sinas also said. OIL PRICES SEEN P3 LOWER MANILA — Another round of massive fuel price reductions, including P2 per liter for diesel and P3 per liter for gasoline, I set after global crude prices dropped to $20 per barrel. Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. again led massive fuel price cuts. The oil firm said it would reduce diesel price by P2 per liter and gasoline by P3 per liter effective at 6 a.m. today. Other oil companies have yet to announce their respective price adjustments. SPECIAL WASTE COLLECTION SET FOR QUARANTINED QUEZON CITY HOMES QUEZON CITY — The Quezon City government has designated a special team that will handle the waste collected from homes quarantined due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Mayor Joy Belmonte said yesterday waste collection in the city would continue even with the enhanced community quarantine implemented in Luzon. She said regular segregation schedules shall continue throughout the city, but residents are strongly encouraged to abide by the “no contact” and social distancing protocols during all waste collection activities. A team of sanitation personnel was designated to collect waste from quarantined homes. They had undergone training and were provided hazmat suits to ensure their protection. The city also designated special trucks to collect waste solely from quarantined persons and households. The special waste will be properly disposed of by the cityÂ’s sanitation office. DTI TELLS FOOD, MEDICINE MANUFACTURERS WITH 1-MONTH INVENTORY TO STOP PRODUCTION MANILA — The trade department has urged food and medical supply manufacturers whose stocks are good for one month to temporarily stop their operations to minimize the number of people going out of their homes while Luzon is under enhanced community quarantine. While food and medical supplies producers are exempted from the home quarantine, those who have finished goods that are good for one or two months can implement a manufacturing "holiday" so their workers can remain in their homes. "While you are allowed to operate, we are making an appeal to those with huge inventories...To reduce the number of people plying roads and employees reporting for work, actually we will encourage you to stop operations and let your present inventory supply the requirements of supermarkets," Lopez said at a press briefing in Malacañang Wednesday night. "You can contribute a lot to the reduction of population going out of their homes. Ideally, stay at home. For those with one month, two months inventory of finished goods, I suggest you go on holiday," he added. SPORTS OLYMPIC FLAME ARRIVES IN JAPAN AMID WORRIES OVER CORONAVIRUS IMPACT A plane carrying the Olympic torch from Greece arrived on Friday on Japan's northwestern coast ravaged by a 2011 tsunami, but the welcome ceremony will have no spectators, amid worries the Games could be cancelled over the coronavirus pandemic. The flame arrived at Japan Air Self-Defense Force's Matsushima base and will tour the Tohoku region hit by the tsunami and earthquake, in what the organizers call a "recovery flame" tour until the official kick-off ceremony in Fukushima on March 26. Organizers have repeatedly said the Games, set to run from July 24 to Aug. 9, will go ahead, but as the rapid spread of the virus brings the sports world to a virtual standstill, fears are growing that the Olympics may be postponed or cancelled. INDICATORS FOREX $1 = P 50.90 THOUGHT FOR THE DAY The years teach much which the days never knew. - Ralph Waldo Emerson