In a statement, the residential arm of listed DMCI Holdings, Inc. said The Erin Heights will be launched to take advantage of steady demand for residential spaces in Quezon City.

The Erin Heights is located along Commonwealth Avenue, and near the planned Tandang Sora Station of the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7).

DMCI Homes President Alfredo R. Austria said the company has been able to launch and deliver projects despite the pandemic restrictions because of the integration of in-house design, engineering, and construction.

鈥淓ven before the pandemic, our approach has served our company well, allowing us to be more agile in optimizing our product offerings according to market requirements. This translates to better cost control and better value for our customers in terms of new or better product features,鈥� he said. — Cathy Rose A. Garcia

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic is not only a public health crisis; it has also severely affected the economy and financial markets across the world. In third-world nations like ours, the impact is felt especially hard in impoverished areas and poor communities in the countryside. Even those with stable employment, like civil servants and public school teachers, are feeling the crunch, as the pandemic has strained their already meager finances.

And because the government has been dealing with quite a lot of concerns lately, some segments from the private sector have started initiatives to address both the financial and health concerns of those marginalized sectors and rural communities.

In response to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc. (Sun Life Foundation), the philanthropy arm of Sun Life Philippines, has initiated Rise Brighter PH, a program that promotes both financial security and health.听

Two-pronged approach

Rise Brighter PH has a two-pronged approach: Sun Pera-Aralan 2020 which is a financial management program catering to public school teachers, and the establishment of Sun Life Barangay Health Stations that will serve as accessible sources of primary health care in poor and rural municipalities. Each program aims to benefit 125,000 individuals within the next five years.

鈥淎s Sun Life Philippines marks its 125th anniversary this year, Rise Brighter PH is our way of honoring our lifetime partnership with the Filipino people and letting them know that we remain at their side in these trying times. We have seen Filipinos rise above trials many times over, and we are confident that together, we will prevail,鈥� shares Sun Life Philippines CEO and country head Benedict Sison, who also sits as chairman of Sun Life Foundation.

Personal finance for teachers听

For the program鈥檚 financial literacy component, the Sun Pera-Aralan 2020 uses the Peso Sobre tool to make saving a habit among public school teachers. In doing so, they can extend their salary until the next payday, and eventually lessen indebtedness. A Facebook community will gather shared experiences and inspiration from teachers enrolled in the program. Volunteer Sun Life advisors will also be on hand for consultations. An initial batch of 10,224 public school teachers has shown measurable success in terms of improved finances. Sun Pera-Aralan was implemented early this year in public schools in cooperation with AHA Behavioral Design, Inc. and the Department of Education (DepEd).

Boosting health care in rural areas听

To address the health-care needs of rural communities, Sun Life established Barangay Health Stations. Each unit provides primary services like immunizations, consultations, follow-ups, and health lectures to benefit the immediate community. Barangay health workers and health cluster leaders manning the station will also be given adequate training, aside from having a community-based health and wellness program. A total of eight Sun Life Barangay Health Stations will be constructed across Batangas within the year.听

鈥淭he Sun Life Foundation鈥檚 projects are anchored on our company鈥檚 purpose, which is to help Filipinos achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. We earnestly hope that helping fulfill these needs, Rise Brighter PH will empower beneficiaries in their journey towards recovery. Moreover, may it give them hope that despite the challenges we鈥檙e currently facing, a brighter future is still on the horizon,鈥� shares Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc. and Sun Life Foundation president Alex Narciso.

The growth of many e-commerce platforms is the effect of transition from traditional shopping channels to online platforms during quarantine

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused the rise and fall of several industries worldwide. Even though e-commerce platforms have long been on the rise, the process was fast-tracked when quarantine guidelines were put into place.

With the absence of traditional shopping channels, customers have flocked to e-commerce platforms to secure purchases and transactions. Many stores and restaurants have also transitioned online to serve their target market.

To discuss the current state of online selling in the new normal, The Philippine STAR鈥檚 Career Guide shared insights on the progress of e-commerce platforms and other online means during this time.

The online discussion featured Entrego retail director Xervin Maulanin, PurpleBug Inc. president and CEO Marlon Gonzales, La Carnita Modern Mexican Cantina co-founder Lenlen Mesina, Lazada Philippines head of business development Petrus Carbonell, and Seven Days of Greens co-founder Roel Uy Chan.

Growth of e-commerce platforms

Even though various e-commerce platforms were established pre-pandemic, its identity strengthened since the start of quarantine. Mr. Carbonell shared that Lazada has witnessed significant growth.

鈥淪o far, we see a lot of demand. We鈥檙e also seeing people who are more interested in starting their businesses online,鈥� he added. 鈥淚 think this will continue even after quarantine and if you think about it, these trends have always been present. Ang nangyari lang ngayong quarantine, na-accelerate siya.鈥�

According to Mr. Carbonell, some of the most popular products in Lazada鈥檚 platform are groceries, medical items, and ready-to-eat products.

Mr. Maulanin noted that the transition from traditional shopping methods into online has pushed e-commerce platforms to sell more essential goods and daily needs. He added that delivery personnel are also considered as frontliners due to their service during the quarantine.

鈥�Lumalaki ang volume natin compared to before. We鈥檙e still a long way to go before online shopping becomes the predominant channel for us, but I think we鈥檙e going to see a lot of acceleration there. We鈥檙e very excited to see ano’ng magiging trend nito,鈥� he said.

Transitioning from traditional shopping methods to online

The pandemic has caused many businesses to transition to online to cater to its customers. Many restaurants have also moved towards delivery services to serve their target market.

According to Ms. Mesina, proper research and development are needed to ensure the quality of Cantina鈥檚 products even in the new normal.

鈥淎t the moment, what we鈥檙e trying to do, instead of dispensing or distributing the product, we had to come up with product lines that can be experienced by the customers in the comfort of their homes, that鈥檚 why we really value the support and the service of third-party suppliers when it comes to delivery,鈥� she shared.

Ms. Mesina also noted that the quarantine is an opportunity for many businesses to understand how to navigate into e-commerce and to incorporate online payments.

鈥淵ou need to make sure that you鈥檙e able to deliver what you鈥檙e promising to your online market and that the product is available from you. It鈥檚 also not just being available, the products must be consistent and of very good quality kasi 鈥榶un 鈥榶ung magiging labanan when it comes to online selling,鈥� she added.

On the other hand, Mr. Gonzales said that quarantine has challenged e-commerce platforms, restaurants and other online sellers to develop its services since it will reflect on customers.

鈥淧eople will always buy if maganda 鈥榶ung feedback na makikita nila. What we鈥檝e noticed din karamihan ng returning customers namin are referrals so very important 鈥�yung feedback na nakikita nila online,鈥� he said.

Mr. Uy Chan stated that the new normal has also urged online sellers, e-commerce platforms and restaurants to refine collaboration methods with its partner channels to ensure quality service.

鈥淭he principle behind online selling is still intact and similar to traditional selling wherever you go. It鈥檚 still just a channel,鈥� he added.

In addition, Mr. Carbonell noted that e-commerce platforms and online sellers would continue to grow, even in a post-pandemic society.

鈥淚n terms of the potential of people reaching success, I would say that the sky is the limit because we see new millionaire sellers every time that we run a campaign. I鈥檓 not saying that everyone who goes online will be successful, but we see many cases that the potential is huge,鈥� he said.

Online selling platforms have witnessed significant growth in customer behavior during the pandemic. With this, it鈥檚 up to business sectors to improve its services to ensure loyalty among its target market.

As we face an uncertain future, here are ways to stay at the top of your career game in a seemingly overwhelming job search

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected various sectors worldwide. With this, many companies addressed its effects by resorting to salary cuts, furloughs, reducing work hours and bonuses, employee layoffs and freeze hiring.

As a result, unemployment rates have worsened and left millions of people jobless. According to Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III, 2.6 million workers in the Philippines have already lost their jobs due to the temporary closure of businesses affected by the pandemic.

To address how jobseekers can thrive despite COVID-19 woes,听The Philippine STAR鈥檚听CareerGuide听shared tips on how to be hire-ready. The online discussion featured certified HR professional Oliver Requilman, Philippine HR Group founder and president Darwin Rivers and TaskUs VP for Recruitment for SEA Carmela Sais.

Hiring in the new normal听

As the world transitions into the new normal, many companies need to adapt to changes in operations 鈥� job hiring is no exception. For Ms. Sais, recruiters are still adjusting to the drastic shift from the traditional hiring process.

鈥淩ecruiters will tell you that听kami mismo, we need to adjust because a lot of recruitment operations in all companies were on-site,鈥� she admitted. 鈥淭here are very few who support virtual hiring as all the technology that鈥檚 needed to support virtual hiring needs to be planned out.鈥�

With this, Ms. Sais advised recruiters to innovate the hiring process through virtual hiring or conducting interviews through phone calls.

鈥淎 really good virtual infrastructure doesn鈥檛 even require you to come in the site at all,鈥� she stated. 鈥淐ompanies need to develop virtual hiring processes from start to finish, from application processes to interviews, and even submission of documents.鈥�

Despite the pandemic, Mr. Rivers stressed that there are still industries that are hiring. These include business process outsourcing (BPO), accounting, online teaching, front- and back-end support, government offices and frontline industries such as hospitals and clinics.

鈥淭here are dozens of companies that are still hiring because they need the right people to function properly. They need the right talent and the right amount of manpower to support their business,鈥� Mr. Rivers said.

Ideal characteristics of a hire-ready jobseeker

For Mr. Requilman, having the right mindset and adopting a growth mentality are ideal characteristics of a jobseeker.

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to say that an applicant has the right attitude, but having the right mindset will become your driver towards success,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e always look for someone with a 鈥榮elf-help鈥� mindset.听If he needs help, he or she can always improve by reading or researching.鈥�

Mr. Requilman shared that recruiters ask about an applicant鈥檚 pastime since it reflects his or her mindset in a professional landscape. 鈥�Ang importante kasi听is that the person has the innate desire to learn and do something to improve,鈥� he added.

During the hiring process, Ms. Sais said that recruiters examine if a jobseeker鈥檚 abilities match the requirements of the position. With this, applicants must have the proper soft skills.

鈥淭here is always a job for you. You should use this time to upskill and to get better at what you鈥檙e doing. The job market is competitive, so you need to have the skill, right mindset and emotional intelligence,鈥� Ms. Sais added.

Applying through virtual hiring听

According to Ms. Sais, the interview process in virtual hiring is audio-driven. Job seekers should prepare by researching necessary information and making sure that they鈥檙e camera- and audio-ready.

鈥淢ake sure that听laging naka-charge听at听naka-open ang听phone听mo, make sure that the audio conversation is clear and we have to alert our family members at home,鈥� Ms. Sais added. 鈥淚nvest in a good Internet or data connection because it鈥檚 the only way for us to get a hold of you.鈥�

It鈥檚 difficult to predict when the pandemic will end, but we can always choose to develop ourselves. There鈥檚 always an advantage in constantly improving yourself 鈥� especially in the current job market.

For more information about employment, job openings and advertising options, visit CareerGuide PH on Facebook and LinkedIn.

At present, women are rising to top positions in their respective industries. However, a 2019 survey conducted by McKinsey discovered that despite their achievements in the workforce, women are still underrepresented at every level

In the past, much of the labor force has been confined to specific gender roles, which has affected various industries. Even if the world has progressed much since then, women still face occupational sexism and inequality at work.

It鈥檚 important for organizations to empower female employees during this time. According to the online learning platform Bizlibrary, companies and leaders can support women by improving gender diversity, celebrating their accomplishments, prioritizing professional development, closing pay gaps and accepting individuality.

To discuss women鈥檚 identity in the workplace,听The Philippine STAR鈥檚听CareerGuide听shared insights on how various industries can empower women. The online discussion featured Remote Staff co-founder Rica Jankulovski and TaskUs VP for Business Development Victoria Alcachupas.

Balancing between career and life

One of women鈥檚 strengths lies in her ability to multitask. Despite this, Ms. Jankulovski stressed the importance of balancing a woman鈥檚 career and personal life.

鈥淎s a woman, I think career should be part of life, not separate. A balanced life makes me really happy. Having that balance between having time with my family and doing something that makes an actual difference to the community I belong to or care about makes me happy,鈥� she added.

For Ms. Alcachupas, understanding her purpose as a career professional helps a woman manage her priorities at work and life.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just understanding why we are doing this,听mas importante sa amin ‘young听impact听na ginagawa namin kasi nakakatulong kami听to change the lives of the people working for us and听‘测耻苍驳听蹿补尘颈濒测听苍颈濒补,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 not just fulfilling for me, but also for the entire team.鈥�

Leading a team

According to Ms. Jankulovski, she prioritizes her personal values whenever she leads her team and fulfills her tasks. Even if workplaces have its own problems, she stressed that bosses and employees must work towards finding a solution.

鈥淎ll you have to do is to declare the objectives of your team, what you鈥檙e aiming for and what you are trying to achieve. It鈥檚 also important to align the values that you have,鈥� Ms. Jankulovski said. 鈥淲e have a goal and focus, and we have to be honest with each other. We have to know that not all of us are perfect, that鈥檚 why we all have a team because we鈥檙e here to help each other.鈥�

Employment opportunities for women

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected various industries worldwide. As a result, many organizations have transitioned into the work-from-home (WFH) set-up to cope. For Ms. Alcachupas, WFH is an opportunity for women to showcase their skills.

鈥淲e see many companies take advantage of the WFH setup. For women, it鈥檚 a perfect time to shine, it鈥檚 a matter of choice on where to put your energy,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are lots of opportunities, especially in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, that are open during this pandemic.鈥�

Ms. Alcachupas added that she prioritizes talent and capability in scouting for potential employees, contrary to the stigma against women.

鈥淏ased on my experience, more than 50 percent of our workforce are women and听marami diyan听are working mothers,鈥� she shared. 鈥淲e promote diversity and inclusion so more than just mothers, we鈥檙e open to the LGBTQ+ community and persons with disabilities.鈥�

Why going digital is an advantage for women

For Ms. Jankulovski, the digital landscape is helpful for mothers since they prioritize their careers and family life. Online workspaces provide more options for women to do their daily tasks within their own pace.

鈥淭he post-pandemic era and even the digital landscape give women more options to stay at home and have an option to do more task-based roles. Any knowledge-based work can work remotely,鈥� she added.

For two months, many parts of the country including the National Capital Region were under lockdown or enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). In those months, many businesses and places of work were closed in the hopes of curbing the spread of the virus. For many people, these were the hardest months of their lives. With work and public transportation suspended, many people had to rely on government subsidies and donations from the private sector and private individuals.

Millennials and Gen Zs were among those who dedicated their time and effort in helping the needy. In fact, many charitable initiatives were started by them, from donating money to organizations and fundraisers, making face shields and masks for frontliners, donating food packs to poor communities, to feeding stray animals.

Jarred Gaviola, a Grade 9 student from Muntinlupa, used his scholarship allowance and created his own fundraiser and donation drive to buy food and other necessities for the benefit of 100 families in barangays Tunasan and Bayanan of Muntinlupa, including his school鈥檚 canteen and utility staff. He also distributed pastries to medical and security frontliners. He鈥檚 also the president of the Key Club of Munsci Servant Leaders. He and other members of the organization initiated a special project called 鈥淥plan COVID-19鈥� to help residents and frontliners cope with the ECQ by giving relief packs to different locations in Muntinlupa.

Gaviola鈥檚 donation drive 鈥淭ara, tulong tayo: Food donation drive鈥� aims to provide donated goods to the homeless and affected families of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Marcus Chu is a 16-year-old Grade 10 student who made face shield frames for medical frontliners using a 3D printer gifted by his parents. It takes him one hour and 20 minutes to print one frame. Once printed, acetate can be attached to make a reusable face shield.

Meanwhile, post-graduate students of West Visayas State University called for donations to make improvised face shields for the medical frontliners of West Visayas State University Medical Center and other Iloilo public hospitals. According to a Facebook post last March 26, Rhona MacEachen and the people involved in the initiative have given out more than 3,000 face shields to medical frontliners. The group has also donated gloves, thermometers, surgical caps and hoods.

Through collective effort, some initiated bringing prepared meals to frontliners or partnering with farmers to bring their crops to the metro for selling.

The 2011 high school batch of Chiang Kai Shek College along with their partner Batch 8 Brotherhood Inc., formed a project called Action Agad: Covid19 Task Force, to raise funds to provide 1,000 food packs to street dwellers around Manila. With the help of their batchmates, friends and generous donors, the group was able to raise P278,000 from the initial goal of P250,000. Excess funds were used for two other projects, namely Action Agad: Laban, Frontliners and Manila Food Drive.

Action Agad: Laban, Frontliners focused on providing hot meals to medical frontliners, specifically in Paranaque, Muntinlupa and Las Pinas cities while the Manila Food Drive aims to provide hot meals to at least 100 people per day around Manila.

Meanwhile, the 2003 high school batch of San Beda College Alabang rallied batchmates, friends and families to donate to a project called Bene 2003: The Clarion Call Donation Drive. The initiative, in partnership with Lawyers for Doctors and Call for Love Against COVID, aims to raise funds to provide medical supplies for medical frontliners. The group was able to collect more than P100,000 and used the funds to provide medical equipment such as personal protective equipment (PPE), hazmat suits, N95 face masks, and aerosol boxes to six hospitals in four cities.

A group of mountaineers was also able to help out numerous communities through their numerous initiatives. Random Act of Kindness or RAK, through their RAK: Operation Kindness donation drive, was able to commission a community in Banaba, San Mateo to produce medically-sound and reusable face masks and soaps that are essential in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

With the money raised from the drive, they funded materials for these products and bought these at a fair price from the sewers. The masks and soaps were then donated to 400 residents from different sitios surrounding Daraitan and Kaliwa rivers, and 150 residents in six barangays in Caloocan and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

Their second project involved partnering with Dumagat farmers to help them sell their produce in the capital. They have since created the Facebook page Talepaan, dedicated to selling various products from these farmers. Talepaan is a Dumagat word for the marketplace. For their third project during the ECQ, RAK partnered with Human Heart Nature to donate relief packs to 204 Dumagat families from five sitios of Daraitan-Tinipak, Makidata, Baykuran, Cablao and Yok-yok. The beneficiaries live in off-the-grid communities along the Sierra Madre mountains.

Millennials and Gen Zs often get a bad rap as many people see them as lazy or entitled. But when it comes to making a positive difference, these young people are driven to make that change possible.

To help the Dumagat farmers, visit Talepaan at www.facebook.com/talepaan.听

The world has boosted its creativity in finding alternative materials for making face masks.

Online, we can easily find do-it-yourself (DIY) video tutorials on how to transform old clothing into face covers. Recently, Japan and Chile also presented copper in face masks to repel certain bacteria and viruses.

The Philippines also takes masks one step further with Mindanao鈥檚 trademark abaca fiber.

Salay鈥檚 contribution to the world

Salay Handmade Products Industries, Inc. (SHPII) has been creating world-class stationery products for the last three decades.

In March, the Misamis Oriental-based company began developing prototypes of abaca-made masks, heeding to the call of the World Fair Trade Organization-Asia to join the rest of the world in flattening the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) curve by providing fair trade personal protective equipment (PPE) to affected communities.

SHPII utilized abaca that is locally grown by farmers in Salay and prized for its mechanical strength and resistance to saltwater.

鈥淲e have this strong, tear-resistant, and water-absorbent paper material that was introduced to us about five years ago. We experimented by applying this strong material to make face mask or face cover. The material is based from 100% abaca fiber, the strongest fiber in the world,鈥� SHPII鈥檚 Neil Francis Rafisura told听The Philippine STAR.

Along with local women artisans with over 30 years of experience in making handmade paper, SHPII started with the production of face masks in mid-April.

Mr. Rafisura explained that it takes roughly five days to process, convert and ship the face masks as each product is carefully and precisely manufactured by hand.

鈥淭he paper filters are manufactured by hand,鈥� he shared. 鈥淭he raw abaca fiber undergoes at least 15 processes before they are cut and sewn into face covers. It also has three layers: two layers of abaca-based filters in 90 to 220 gram per square meter (gsm) and one layer of cloth.鈥�

Soon, they will have the capacity to produce 4,000 face covers per week. SHPII鈥檚 goal is to gradually increase their production and is currently focusing on developing and adding more features and varieties to the mask. They are looking to add layers of anti-microbial cloth and cotton fabric to cater to the special needs of the market.

鈥淲e really need to scale up our production capacity to satisfy the demand. We need more sub-contractors for sewing, preferably within Misamis Oriental or Cagayan de Oro City and a reliable courier service for our distribution,鈥� he shared.

According to the recent study conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 10, the abaca face cover has a filtration rate that is seven times better than cloth masks. It also has lower water absorption than N95 masks. More tests will be conducted to strengthen the study of DOST.

鈥淥ur mask is for face covers and not for medical or surgical use,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e are not in that category. It is not our intention to market this to hospitals. However, it can be an option for better protection compared to thin masks found and peddled everywhere and in the public market place,鈥� he said.

To support the local artisans of Salay, Misamis Oriental, customers may call the following numbers to order a facemask: (0956) 956-6769, (0936) 980-3345, (0917) 529-9150, (0998) 854-5644, (0956) 739-6238 and (0936) 369-8502.听To learn more about SHPII, visit www.salayhandmade.com.

The pandemic brought by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) created major challenges to hospitals around the world, including the Philippines. With an overwhelmed health system, most hospitals around the country are struggling to keep normal operations while still treating patients from the virus. World Health Organization (WHO) director general TedrosAdhanom emphasized that 鈥淎ll countries must strike a fine balance between protecting health, minimizing economic and social disruption, and respecting human rights.鈥� This includes women鈥檚 choices and rights to sexual and reproductive health care.

The worries and stress brought by COVID-19 have affected sexual and reproductive health care, including access to contraceptive information and services during the pandemic.

COVID-19 and sex听

With the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) placed in Luzon and other parts of the country from March 16 to May 31, couples are quarantined together. Studies are still being conducted on COVID-19. One of them found traces of the virus in the feces of people who are infected, while another study found the coronavirus in the semen of men who had active infections and those who recovered. However, it still isn鈥檛 clear if the disease can be sexually transmitted or not.

Experts say that sex can still be performed but with precautions. Masturbation is a safe way to go about it as this will not spread COVID-19 to another person, provided appropriate preventative measures are observed.

If two parties are healthy and are living together, had no exposure to anyone with the virus, or traveled to countries suffering from the pandemic, then physical intimacy is still considered safe. But if it鈥檚 someone outside of the household, it is still advised to avoid close contact.The use of contraceptives is also recommended to avoid unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

But if either or both partners are sick with COVID-19 鈥� recovering or recovered 鈥� the US鈥� Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shared the following ways to prevent the spread of the virus: not sharing bedding and bed, and abstaining from all intimate contact until: at least seven to 14 days after symptoms first started, when other symptoms have improved, and fever-free for at least 72 hours without the use of any medications.

If a person is sick, he or she should self-quarantine and observe the necessary preventative measures, including limiting the use of common spaces.

COVID-19 and family planning听

With the ECQ placed in Luzon since March 16, the Department of Health (DOH) reminded people to continue practicing family planning methods. Contraceptives are still safe to use despite the COVID-19 outbreak.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that even in areas under ECQ, family planning services, devices and advice are available to the public in health centers. Barangay health workers can also hand out three-months-worth of condoms and birth control pills.

Contraception and family planning information and services are life-saving and important at all times 鈥� with or without a pandemic.

COVID-19, pregnancy and childbirth听

Studies are still determining what COVID-19 does to a developing pregnancy. Giving birth is already challenging and stressful, but going through it during a global crisis heightens it. Many expecting mothers are considering giving birth at home due to the country鈥檚 strained health systems. However, home births may be difficult for high-risk pregnancies.

Research is still on-going to determine whether pregnant women can get infected with the virus, but it is important to take precautions.

A safe and positive experience for pregnant women during pregnancy and childbirth include: being treated with respect and dignity, having a companion of choice present during delivery, clear communication by maternity staff, appropriate pain relief strategies, and mobility in labor where possible and birth position of choice. For pregnant women who are suspected or confirmed to be positive for COVID-19, WHO advised that caesarian section deliveries should only be performed when medically justified.

If COVID-19 is suspected or confirmed, health workers should take all appropriate precautions, including hand hygiene and appropriate use of protective equipment, to reduce the risks of infection to themselves and others.

Close contact and breastfeeding are also supported by WHO, even for COVID-positive mothers. As such, they should be supported to breastfeed safely with good respiratory hygiene, hold their newborn skin-to-skin, and share a room with their baby. WHO also reminds mothers to keep surfaces clean and to wash their hands before and after touching their babies.

Thanks, or no thanks to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, protective face masks are now part of our daily dress code.

While the scientific community is still searching for the cure or vaccine against COVID-19, health authorities are advising people to wear face masks, especially when heading out in public, interacting with others outside the household, attending to the sick and vulnerable, and exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Meanwhile, wearing face masks is now mandated in several parts of the Philippines.

Coupled with proactive contact tracing, testing of probable cases, proper handwashing, isolation and physical distancing, the use of face masks can help suppress viral transmission in communities.

What is maskne?
As we go on for hours with masks, more people are noticing acne, breakouts, and irritation near the mouth and nose area. Dermatologists call this 鈥渕askne.鈥�

Maskne or acne mechanica is caused by several factors, including excess heat, pressure and friction on the skin.

Before the pandemic, it 饾殸饾殜饾殰 already common 饾殜饾殩饾殬饾殫饾殣 athletes, soldiers and medical workers who wore protective gear such as face masks, pads and helmets.

Dermatologists explain that since we use face protection most of the time, our skin experiences more friction than usual. Face masks could trap and hold heat and humidity against the skin, blocking the hair follicles. Heat and humidity build-up around the areas covered by masks also alter the skin鈥檚 pH level, triggering hair follicle infection or bacteria and yeast overgrowth.

Moreover, those who are prone to breakouts are more likely to develop maskne.

How to take care of the skin

Find better alternatives. As we save hospital-grade masks for the sick, vulnerable and frontline medical workers, we may choose alternatives, which are made out of materials suited for our skin and lifestyle.

Dermatologists suggest using a paper mask as it does not collect oil and dirt. For those with pre-existing skin conditions such as eczema, choose softer fabrics like cotton for maximum air circulation.

Use masks as instructed. Boxes and packaging often contain instructions on how to properly use, clean or dispose masks. Read and carefully apply them to ensure that it will serve its purpose.

To avoid developing skin irritations, reusable masks should be thoroughly cleaned and dried out after every use to remove sweat, dirt and bacteria in it.

Avoid touching the face. Time and again, health authorities remind us to not touch our faces as the virus can spread through the eyes, nose and mouth. Additionally, germs on the mask could then be passed to our hands.

When adjusting the face cover, do not touch the areas near the eyes, nose and mouth. Only when necessary and when hands are clean, we can readjust the mask鈥檚 edges or straps along the sides of the head.

Avoid heavy makeup or skin-care products. The combination of makeup, heavy skin-care products plus the mask is a recipe for disaster as this clogs the pores.

If possible, it鈥檚 best to go makeup-free. Those who need to wear makeup may opt for lightweight and non-comedogenic products and avoid putting cosmetics on areas that will be covered by the mask. They may also switch up their skin-care regimen and use heavier creams and moisturizers at night.

Once in a safe environment, let the skin breathe. While it鈥檚 important to keep our masks on, it鈥檚 equally important to take them off to make the skin breathe and rest. Carefully remove your mask at home or when you鈥檙e already in a safe environment.

Take care of your skin. After a long day with the mask on, gently wash the face using clean running water and gentle anti-inflammatory cleansers. Don鈥檛 rub your skin; instead, pat it dry with a clean towel. Put a lightweight moisturizer to bring back the moisture into the skin.

Contact a dermatologist. If maskne persists, consult a dermatologist. Don鈥檛 self-medicate. It鈥檚 best to call in for an appointment or schedule a telehealth consultation as this type of acne can be easily seen on screen.

Today, plastics play a key role in the response against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The material turned out to be both sanitary and can be used to protect against the transmission of the disease. It is used to create protective items such as masks, gloves, visors, gowns, personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as body bags.These protective items are widely used by the public and are essential in the fight against the disease.

Plastic in the fight against COVID-19

Since the first recorded COVID-19 case in the Philippines, the dependency on plastic items rose due to fears and concerns over health and hygiene. The government advised Filipinos to wear masks when stepping out of their homes and buying essential items. Some even go as far as wearing disposable gloves. Demand for cleaning products such as disposable wipes, cleaning agents, hand sanitizer, and alcohol is also at a record high. Lockdown measures have also led to an increase in the amount of packaging used for the delivery of food and groceries.

However, these items are not always disposed properly by the general public, and environmentalists fear the negative consequences for other people, wildlife, and the fight against plastic pollution. Gloves and masks cannot be recycled. Throwing these anywhere other than the trash bin puts others at risk for infection 鈥� which is why it is important to dispose these in the proper trash receptacle.

Plastic dependency in the time of corona

There is also the notion that single-use plastic bags are more hygienic compared to reusable ones, a thought that capitalizes on the threat of coronavirus contamination. But according to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 can live on surfaces including plastic and cardboard for three days or more.

Research has shown that one of the biggest challenges in promoting sustainable behavior is to break old habits and adopt new ones. In terms of plastic use, once people return to patronizing single-use plastics, the practice becomes normalized again despite efforts of using reusable ones.

Increased plastic use is inevitablegiven the current crisis, but there are some measures that can be done to try to lessen it to avoid waste. What to do to limit the use of plastic items but still be safe?

鈥� Wash your hands. Regular hand-washing offers more protection against catching COVID-19 than wearing rubber gloves while out in public.

鈥� Wash any surfaces that have been in contact with items from outside before putting these in your pantry or refrigerators.

鈥� Unless you鈥檙e sick or a medical frontliner, use washable cloth masks. Washable cloth masks can also offer an acceptable level of necessary protection.

鈥� Disinfect and clean any recyclable material before putting them into a recycle bin.

鈥� Do not place recyclables in plastic bags. Clean these first before putting it out.

鈥� Reusables are still safe to use. Simply wash cups, water bottles, utensils and dishes after use.

鈥� Re-use shopping bags.

鈥� Responsibly discard disposable products.

The 鈥榥ew normal鈥� and plastic use
To ensure their own safety, many business owners have put up plastic sheets to their stores or stalls as a protective barrier from customers or from the people around them. These include wet markets, bakeries and the like. With the country slowly easing lockdown restrictions, some businesses have resumed operations. Malls have opened with only hardware, clothing and accessories stores and barber shops, salons and spas resuming operations. Restaurants have been allowed but only for take-out and deliveries only, while dine-in options are still being considered by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

However,on May 21, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said that the government is considering re-opening restaurants for dine-in at 50% capacity, provided that physical distancing can still be practiced and barriers (like plastic sheets or fiber glass) in between tables are put in place. Even some public transportation vehicles like jeepneys and tricycles have put up plastic sheets as barriers to comply with safety measures.

Some clothing stores have allowed customers to fit their products. For example, shoes. Customers will be given plastic bags to wear over their feet to fit shoes. The said items will then be sanitized will alcohol after.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has forever changedpeople鈥檚 lives, consumers can still reshape and rethink their overall plastic consumption. We can all lessen the pollution this behavior generates by making choices that lead to a cleaner and more sustainable future.

The online streaming of听Ang Huling El Bimbo: The Musical听last May 8 and 9 became a trending topic in social media as netizens discussed its story and theater’s role in Filipino culture, among others.

Set to the music of the band Eraserheads, the musical talks about nostalgia and how the past shapes a person’s character in the present. The story focuses on the relationship between Joy, Hector, Anthony and Emman through a series of flashbacks.

With this,听The Philippine STAR’s听CareerGuide talked about the effects of quarantine on the performing arts industry and its future. The online discussion featured actor Gian Magdangal, Full House Theater company co-artistic directors Michael Williams and Menchu Lauchengco Yulo, and听Ang Huling El Bimbo听director and choreographer Dexter Santos.

Working in the industry

Maintaining a proper balance between two jobs is a daunting task. Despite this, Mr. Magdangal said that working as an actor and a corporate employee helps in managing himself effectively.

“As an actor, you are your business. If you’re purposeful in doing it and you know what you want to do, it’s inevitable that income will just come in. You have to have faith in yourself and the industry no matter what you do,” he shared.

Looking back, Ms. Yulo admitted that she was lacking when she started out in the performing arts industry. She was able to develop her skills and knowledge through her experiences, both onstage and backstage.

“It was really a baptism of fire and you learn by making mistakes on stage, picking yourself up and just going forward. That’s how we learned. That’s many, many years of mistakes, falling flat on your face, and just learning from the experience,” she added.

Meanwhile, working in the industry made Mr. Williams realize that the camaraderie between performing artists and staff transcends their differences. Even if he’s passionate about his craft, he advised aspiring artists to weigh their decisions before joining the industry.

“It’s not about passion or the economy. It’s about developing yourself, which means choosing work that would develop yourself and what you’ll learn. You need to decide if it gives you artistic or financial value, or if it would boost your career,” Mr. Williams said.

Coping with the pandemic

The future of post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) society remains uncertain. However, Mr. Williams emphasized that the performing arts industry will survive since it braved through medical disasters in the past.

According to Mr. Williams, creating content, streaming theater performances and conducting online fundraising activities have helped the industry move forward.

“We didn’t actually stop working. The industry’s shakers and movers had conversations on how to go through the changing times,” he said. “We’ve also been reaching out to government agencies to find out ways to help with the economy and why the industry deserves the relief that others are receiving.”

Ms. Yulo admitted that the overwhelming response of听Ang Huling El Bimbo听streaming was unexpected since it was originally filmed as an archive. For her, it was an opportunity for the industry to reach out to various audiences.

“The COVID-19 pandemic gave us the thinking that we can stream听Ang Huling El Bimbo, resulting in more people appreciating theater. I’m hoping that if we continue streaming stage performances, it can make people come and watch it live in the future,” she added.

How the industry survives

Despite the convenience of streaming, Mr. Santos admitted that the performing arts industry needs to wait before rehearsals, stage productions and performances can resume.

“We really can’t push things since it’s hard to gamble. Personally, I don’t want to sacrifice the safety of my actors and audience because we need to survive,” he said. “Whatever the artist can do online is the least that we can do.”

Despite this, Mr. Santos stressed that the industry would remain despite the pandemic.

“It may not be the same experience as before but reading a play, creating theater-related content or streaming performances makes the industry alive. During this time, I think it’s important to raise a certain awareness about the industry,” he said.

Mr. Santos stated that the artists’ innate ability to create keeps the industry afloat. “What makes theater alive is that it’s natural for an artist to express himself. This is why we have various online content, readings and streaming 鈥� these are ideas we have to keep it alive.”

Even if听Ang Huling El Bimbo鈥檚 story听ended in tragedy, it sparked the importance of performing arts in Filipino culture. It might take a while for the industry to resume rehearsals, productions and live performances but the power of creativity will remain timeless.

For more information about employment, job openings and advertising options, visit CareerGuide PH on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Wealthier Western countries with vast resources are struggling to contain the coronavirus. In contrast, smaller Southeast Asian nations with limited means have shown initial success in the battle against COVID-19

As of May 27, statistics concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been bleak, reaching 5,591,067 cases; 2,287,152 recoveries; and 350,458 deaths globally (source: ). While pharmaceutical companies and bio labs all over the world have been working to come up with a miracle drug, experts caution that the numbers will continue to rise well into the near future unless an effective cure or a vaccine is found.

A quick look at data show that first world countries registered some of the highest COVID-19 infections globally, led by the United States (1,716,155), followed by Brazil (392,360), Russia in third (370,680), United Kingdom in fourth (265,227), Spain in the fifth place (236,529), Italy in sixth (230,555) and Germany at the seventh spot (181,288). Despite having greater resources for testing, medical care and bailouts, even the US and Europe struggled to curb the spread of the virus, casting doubts on the Western countries鈥� ability to contain the outbreak in their respective territories.

In Southeast Asia, four developing nations have achieved initial success in handling the coronavirus crisis within their shores 鈦犫�� even with limited means in terms of medical facilities, available funds, and smaller economies. Here are some of our Southeast Asian neighbors who have made early, yet significant achievements in their campaigns against COVID-19:

Vietnam

As one of the few countries sharing a land border with China, Vietnam acted quickly to shield itself from the spread of the coronavirus, suspending all flights from the mainland on Feb. 1, and then all international air travel by March 25. It also suspended all issued visas to foreigners. Mandatory isolation measures were imposed on all citizens with a history of foreign travel, and related contacts with symptoms. The government also ramped up its already aggressive contact tracing and testing protocols, initiated mass quarantines in villages with confirmed cases, and the immediately mobilized all state agencies. The public is also advised to always wear masks and avoid large gatherings. These early actions have reaped benefits for Vietnam, as the country lifted social isolation measures by April 22, leading to re-opening schools and business, and reviving its weakened but resilient economy. As of May 27, Vietnam has 327 confirmed cases, 272 recoveries and zero deaths.

Cambodia

Since Cambodia reported its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 27, authorities were quick to ramp up isolation measures for symptomatic individuals. By March, Cambodia barred the entry of foreigners from Italy, Germany, Spain, France, the United States and Iran, suspended classes in all schools and closed down all of its borders. When 40,000 Cambodian workers went home, they were all ordered to undergo self-quarantine and observe preventive measures. Travels between cities and across provinces were banned. For more than a month, only a single case was reported and no new outbreaks were recorded. As of May 27, Cambodia has 124 confirmed cases, 122 recoveries and zero deaths.

East Timor

As early as February, East Timor restricted the entry of non-nationals with a history of travel to Hubei, China within the past four weeks. As a preventive measure, the country also closed its borders with Indonesia. When East Timor registered its first confirmed COVID-19 case on March 22, the Catholic Church cancelled mass. A state of emergency was declared, and public gatherings were limited to five people. All international arrivals were ordered to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine. On April 6, the parliament approved urgent measures to deal with the pandemic. As of May 27, East Timor has 24 confirmed cases, 24 recoveries and zero deaths.

Brunei

After the first COVID-19 case was reported in Brunei on March 9, the government was quick to trace and isolate all known contacts of recorded positive cases. Once identified, efforts were focused on treating the patients at the National Isolation Centre (NIC) in Tutong. Avoiding a lockdown, the government instead ordered a travel ban, restrictions on public gatherings, and asked people to consider working from home, while the Ministry of Health (MoH) issued daily updates and assured citizens of the developing situation. To lessen the economic impact, the government mandated banks to defer loan payments for businesses. It also ordered employers to give paid sick leaves to staff, and even created a fund to give wage subsidies to private sector employees. The national tally of cases stood still, marking the 20th consecutive day without new cases since May 7. As of May 27, Brunei has 141 confirmed cases, 137 recoveries and one death.

Not all test kits to detect COVID19 are alike and each has its own advantages and disadvantages

As the worldwide number of infections reach more than five million cases, 1,899,675 recoveries and 328,172 deaths (as of May 21), the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to call for urgent action to test all suspected cases, noting that the 鈥榖ackbone鈥� of an effective coronavirus response is the ability to conduct large scale testing.

鈥淲e have a simple message got all countries: test, test, test,鈥� said WHO director general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during a virtual press conference where he emphasized the crucial need to escalate testing, isolation and contact tracing efforts.

On January 10, the full genetic sequence of the SARS-COV-2 virus has been uploaded to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) platform. In just a few short weeks, pharmaceuticals and research labs were able to develop diagnostic kits that can detect the coronavirus. But not all tests are alike, since each kit possesses different advantages and disadvantages.

In the Philippines, health professionals are using two different testing methods to screen suspected and probable COVID-19 cases: reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests also known as 鈥榮wab tests鈥� and the rapid test kits (RTK). Here are some characteristics that sets each test apart.

RT-PCR: Slow and accurate

Majority of the tests being conducted today are based on the RT-PCR test method, considered as the 鈥榞old standard鈥� in testing. Specific and sensitive, the test accurately detects the presence of genetic material from the virus.

The RT-PCR test begins with a licensed healthcare worker or lab scientist extracting a specimen from a patient (with or without symptoms) through a throat or nasal swab. Samples are then transported in ice and delivered to testing labs for processing where the RNA virus is converted to DNA using reverse transcriptase enzymes. The presence of viral DNA can then be detected and interpreted by data either as positive or negative.

While accurate, RT-PCR tests are more labor intensive and processing samples in specialized laboratories can take anywhere from 24-48 hours (not counting the time it takes to deliver samples to the labs), making it more expensive.

Rapid test kits: fast but not fool-proof

Meanwhile, rapid test kits can produce near-instant results at the cost of accuracy. Instead of detecting the genetic materials from the virus, rapid tests rely on identifying the immune response of an individual.

A licensed healthcare worker will extract blood from a patient and the rapid test kits interpret the results in as little as 15 minutes. The test reads for two kinds of antibodies: the immunoglobulin M (IgM) or the early immune response, and the immunoglobulin G (IgG) or the delayed immune response. Because it relies on antibody detection rather than the presence of the virus, it is best used on symptomatic patients during the 5th to 21st day of showing symptoms.

Although speedy, the accuracy of rapid tests relies on the sensitivity of the kit itself. Thus, there鈥檚 a higher chance for errors 鈥� false positives and false negatives may be common. Another cause for concern is that antibodies only develop several weeks after the infection, so antibody-based tests like this might miss asymptomatic cases or those in the earliest stages of the disease. A confirmatory RT-PCR test is therefore administered for those turning positive results after a rapid test.

For somebody with anxiety and depression, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic feels like being stuck in a circus, carnival, and Metro Manila during a Friday rush hour, combined. The word 鈥榦verwhelming鈥� can鈥檛 measure up to the feelings whirling inside.

On some days, thoughts of uncertainty will greet you upon waking up in the morning. There鈥檚 鈥淲ill I still have a job tomorrow?鈥� and 鈥淐an I still afford food and pay bills in the coming months?鈥� Feelings of helplessness, irritability, and confusion, including the struggle with focus, inspiration and productivity, are right on your tail in the afternoon.

If you鈥檙e lucky, you鈥檒l just roll from side to side for minutes before falling asleep. But for most nights, you鈥檒l be followed by fears about COVID-19. Boulders of thoughts like, 鈥淒id I catch the virus at work?鈥� or 鈥淲hat will happen to my family if I get infected by the virus?鈥� will lead to panic.

It鈥檚 okay, you are not alone

The World Health Organization (WHO)听shared reports from different countries, showing the pandemic鈥檚 increased impact on mental health.

In Ethiopia, there was a three-fold increase in the prevalence of symptoms of depression. China, the origin of the COVID-19 outbreak, reported high rates of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Healthcare workers in Canada have also reported a need for psychological support.

Italy and Spain have said that children in their country have difficulties concentrating, irritability, restlessness, and nervousness. Meanwhile, in the UK, 32% of young people with a history of mental health needs agreed that the pandemic had worsened their mental health problems.

While there are currently no such figures available for the Philippines, public and private groups have launched initiatives to help Filipinos struggling with mental health. Social groups encourage people to talk to mental health professionals and support groups via phone and online consultations, psychotherapy, and workshops. Meanwhile, social workers or the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) give ample support for those suffering from COVID-19 and their families.

There are also continuous mental health information, education and communication campaigns on social media.

Moving forward together

To face mental health issues, the WHO suggests the continued support for community actions that strengthen social cohesion and reduce loneliness, particularly for the most vulnerable.

鈥淪uch support is required from the government, local authorities, private sector and the general public, with initiatives such as the provision of food parcels, regular phone check-ins with people living alone, and organization of online activities for intellectual and cognitive stimulation,鈥� WHO said.

WHO also sees the current situation as an opportunity to build a mental health system that is fit for the future.

鈥淭he scaling-up and reorganization of mental health services that are now needed on a global scale is an opportunity to build a mental health system that is fit for the future. This means developing and funding national plans that shift care away from institutions to community services, ensuring coverage for mental health conditions in health insurance packages and building the human resource capacity to deliver quality mental health and social care in the community,鈥� WHO 鈥� Department of Mental Health and Substance Use director D茅vora Kestel said.

听A lot is yet to be cleared and understood about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). What remains evident is that collaborative efforts have to be pushed to decelerate or halt the transmission of the virus.

While the medical field is attending to patients in hospitals and the scientific community is finding a cure or vaccine in laboratories, civic bodies must safeguard their communities to avoid a more disruptive outbreak.

To avoid rummaging in the dark, local governments in the Philippines are encouraged to consider adopting and weaving into their strategies the best practices of other cities or municipalities. One of the few cities currently looked up to is Baguio.

According to the Baguio鈥檚 public information office, the city has conducted a total of 3,192 reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests and 1,614 rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) since the COVID-19 outbreak. As of May 19, it recorded 32 confirmed cases. Of the number, there are two active cases, 29 recoveries and one death.

听While residents in the city have recognized for their discipline and respect for laws and regulations, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong also cited early contact tracing and mass testing as key components to COVID-19 prevention.

鈥淔rom the start, the local government decided to deviate from the DOH protocol so that persons under investigation (suspect, probable, confirmed) with severe symptoms were already isolated with the provision of available isolation facilities,鈥� Mr. Magalong shared.

The Baguio City local government unit (LGU) also conducted early contact tracing of close contacts of suspect, probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases. This allowed health officials to assess their condition and impose the 14-day mandatory isolation, either in their residences or isolation facilities, depending on the symptoms shown.

鈥淲ith limited test kits donated to the city, mass testing was done to persons under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs) to determine their health condition while undergoing the quarantine period, and for them to be isolated once they have moderate to severe symptoms. Those who tested positive were subjected to confirmatory tests through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine available at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center,鈥� he said.

Taking the next steps听

Baguio鈥檚 LGU has maintained stringent implementation of city ordinances, observance of liquor ban and curfew hours, strict border control, and aggressive information drives as they gradually transitioned from enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to general community quarantine last May 15.

The city still observes Sunday as a 鈥渓ockdown day.鈥� Only vital establishments are allowed to operate and only essential workers are permitted to leave their homes. Senior citizens are also allowed to go to groceries, markets and drugstores on this day.

Baguio also recently passed an ordinance that mandates people to wear masks in public places (buildings, national roads or highways, sidewalks, walkways, public conveyance, and other similar establishments), workplaces (whether enclosed or outdoor), public and private vehicles (while plying city roads, alleyways, or streets), and while transacting business.

Although 80% of businesses are already operational under GCQ, they are only allowed to operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

According to Mr. Magalong, aggressive information and education campaigns will also continue through various social and mainstream media platforms. This is to educate Baguio residents about COVID-19 and inform them about the implementation of precautionary measures.

The city also continuously monitors the condition of PUIs and PUMs through barangay health emergency response teams (BHERTs) to ensure the execution of precautionary and preventive measures.

For its borders, only those coming for essential travels, returning overseas Filipino workers who coordinated with OWWA, returning residents, and COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases ((IATF-IED)-authorized persons will be allowed to enter.

鈥淭he local government will also continue to close its borders to people from other areas, except Benguet, to ensure that ill people will not be able to enter the city and spread the virus, which will ruin the city鈥檚 gains during the quarantine period,鈥� he said.

Since the first reported case on January 30, the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines has reached 11,876 as of May 14, 2020 鈥� with 2,337 recoveries and 790 deaths, according to a news bulletin from the Department of Health (DoH).

To curb the spread of the pandemic, President Rodrigo R.Duterte has placed the country under lockdown, implementing various health protocols and quarantine policies per area, depending on the number of cases and available medical facilities.

As we conclude our second month in quarantine, here鈥檚 a rundown of important moments, from the first case in the country leading to current events.

JANUARY 30
The DoH reported the first COVID-19 case in the Philippines, a 38-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan. She arrived in Manila from Hong Kong.

The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) set up confirmatory test laboratories, the first medical facility to conduct COVID-19 tests in the Philippines.

FEBRUARY 2
The DoH confirmed the second case: a 44-year-old Chinese man who accompanied the first case. He passed away on Feb. 1鈥� the first COVID-19 death outside mainland China.

FEBRUARY 5
The DoH confirmed the third COVID-19 case in the Philippines, a 60-year-old Chinese woman who arrived in Cebu from Wuhan via Hong Kong last January 20.

MARCH 6
The fourth and fifth cases confirmed by the DoH were the first Filipino cases in the country.

MARCH 7
The DoH raised the alert level to Code Red Sublevel 1 after the first case of local transmission was confirmed, which involved the wife of the fifth case.

MARCH 12
President Duterte announced a 鈥渃ommunity quarantine鈥� or partial lockdown in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Cainta, Rizal from March 15 until April 14. The alert level was raised to Code Red Sublevel 2.

MARCH 15
Metro Manila and Cainta, Rizal were placed under partial lockdown. Land, domestic sea and air travel coming to and from these areas were suspended.

MARCH 16
The President placed Luzon under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until April 12. Then Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo relayed instructions that local government units are required to implement specific health measures.

MARCH 17
Mr. Duterte signed Proclamation No. 929, which placed the Philippines under state of calamity. With 187 confirmed COVID-19 cases, DoH confirmed that community-based transmission has already occurred.

MARCH 19
Foreign Affairs Secretary TeodoroLocsin announced the temporary suspension of visa issuance and visa-free entry privileges of foreigners.

MARCH 24
The Senate approved the 鈥淏ayanihan to Heal As One Act鈥� (Senate Bill 1481) after a 13-hour plenary session.

MARCH 25
Mr. Duterte signed the 鈥淏ayanihan to Heal As One Act of 2020鈥� granting himself special powers to address the pandemic.

MARCH 28
The DoH announced that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country exceeded 1,000.

APRIL 12
The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) spokesperson and cabinet secretary KarloNograles announced the mandatory public disclosure of personal information relating to COVID-19 patients to enhance contact tracing.

APRIL 24
The President announced the extension of the ECQ in selected areas until May 15. Other areas will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) on May 1.

APRIL 30
Mr. Duterte approved the recommendations of the COVID-19 task force on the areas to be placed under ECQ and GCQ. Areas that remained under ECQ include NCR, Pangasinan, Benguet (with Baguio City), Region 3 (except Aurora), Region 4A, Iloilo (with Iloilo City), Cebu (with Cebu City), Bacolod City and Davao City. Areas under GCQ will observe more relaxed quarantine rules and health protocols under the 鈥榥ew normal鈥� will be put in place.

MAY 1
The government eased restrictions as GCQ in selected areas started. Areas remaining under ECQ are required to observe proper quarantine protocols.

MAY 6
The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines breached the 10,000-mark.

MAY 12
Malaca帽ang confirmed that NCR, Laguna and Cebu City will be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until May 31.

Areas under GCQ include Cordillera Administrative Region, Region 2, Region 3, Region 4A (except Laguna), Region 7, Region 9, Region 11 and Region 13.
Areas under modified GCQ include Region 1, Region 4B, Region 5, Region 6, Region 8, Region 10, Region 12 and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

MAY 14
The Regional Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 (RIATF) postponed the shift to GCQ in selected areas in Region 3: Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales will instead be placed under MECQ until May 31. Only Tarlac and Olongapo City will shift to GCQ.

As the Philippines grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, various sectors are working to bring the country back to normal. The future remains uncertain but the world hopes to eventually declare victory in the war against the coronavirus.

As most parts of the Philippines emerge from harsh lockdowns, other Asian neighbors are feeling the pinch of resurging COVID-19 cases after easing up on restrictions

When Malaca帽ang announced the enforcement of a 鈥渕odified鈥� enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) over the entire National Capital Region (NCR), Laguna and Cebu City on May 12, the lockdown status in these high-risk areas remained firmly in place. Eight regions identified as moderate-risk areas are in a more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ), while low-risk regions are under 鈥渕odified鈥� GCQ, where jobs and businesses return, provided that minimum public health standards are observed.

These quarantine levels will be enforced from May 16 to 31, and are subject to change as the government carefully plots and monitors the trends in coronavirus cases.

As of May 14, the Department of Health (DoH) records a total of 11,876 COVID-19 cases, with 2,337 recoveries and 790 deaths. There could have been more. While the DoH ramps up the number of tests by the day, the country is gradually getting an overall picture of the scope and reach of the coronavirus pandemic locally.

But lockdowns can鈥檛 last forever. In Asia, several countries first hit by the coronavirus were also the first ones to take steps to bring their respective societies back to life. But before long, there was an increase in cases as soon as lockdowns were lifted.

In some cases, governments have had to revert to restrictions and containment measures to engage a resurging coronavirus.

Lessons from other countries

The city state of Singapore was once a model for coronavirus response. From end of January to late March, Singapore registered 509 cases and two deaths. It had done so without the need for a lockdown 鈥� just a combination of targeted isolation, rigorous information campaigns and moderate social distancing.

Yet, an outbreak among low-paid migrant workers living in dormitories caused the number of cases to reach 26,098, as of May 14.

Authorities converted more than two dozen dormitories into mandatory isolation areas, ramped up testing and migrant support efforts, and provided free health care for infected individuals. The city state鈥檚 small size, assertive government response and strong health-care system are its best weapons in fighting the contagion.

South Korea was among the first countries outside China to report coronavirus cases. It managed to keep numbers low without a lockdown, thanks to rapid uptick of testing capacity, aggressive contact tracing and isolation of positive cases and closure of schools and workplaces.

Days passed without a single new case and most businesses reopened but after a six-day national holiday by the end of April, a new cluster of more than 100 infections were reported, tracing back to the entertainment district of Itaewon.

Businesses were ordered to close again while 8,000 policemen were deployed to aid contact tracing teams in locating people who were in the area. As of May 14, there are 10,991 COVID-19 cases in South Korea.

In Japan, the bulk of coronavirus cases was recorded in the island of Hokkaido back in February, prompting authorities to issue a state of emergency.

Schools and businesses were immediately closed, large gatherings were banned and people were advised to stay indoors. After new cases significantly went down, Hokkaido lifted the state of emergency.

Three weeks after the first lockdown was lifted, a second wave of infections pushed a record number of new cases. A second state of emergency was announced and Hokkaido was forced back into lockdown on April 14.

By May, new cases dropped sharply and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the lifting of a state of emergency in 39 out of 47 prefectures before it was due to expire. Japan has 16,103 confirmed coronavirus cases as of May 14.

WHO recommendations

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that any country seeking to lift restraints must first meet the following conditions: COVID-19 transmissions must be kept under control; healthcare systems must have the capacity to detect, test, trace and isolate cases; outbreak risks in high-vulnerable contexts must be minimized; schools and workplaces must have preventive measures in place; communities must be willing to make major changes; and must comply with the new rules while actively enforcing measures such as contact tracing and social distancing.

Until there is a proven vaccine or medicine, governments and societies are called on to continue vigilance in instituting various measures to protect public health and the economy from the devastating effects of a new wave of infections.

A 鈥渕odified鈥� enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) will be enforced over the entire National Capital Region (NCR), Laguna and Cebu City from May 16 to 31, Malaca帽ang announced Tuesday, May 12.

President Rodrigo Duterte issued the order based on recommendations from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 35.

Modified ECQ for high-risk areas

In a televised press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that movement of people in NCR, Laguna and Cebu City, all considered as high-risk areas, will continue to be severely restricted under the 鈥渕odified鈥� ECQ.

People will be allowed to leave their homes only to buy food and other basic necessities and during emergencies. There will be limited transportation for essential goods and services. Existing rules on the closure of most establishments, suspension of school, work, and public transportation still apply.

Only employees of 鈥渋ndispensable鈥� businesses will be allowed to report back to work. They will be mandated to show their IDs and proof of employment to be able to travel to and from their jobs. 鈥淭he difference: we will resume the economy little by little, we will have operations in select manufacturing and processing plants up to a maximum of 50%,鈥� Roque explains.

The NCR is the political and socioeconomic heart of the nation and is considered a hotspot of coronavirus infections. Of the 11,618 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country as of May 13, more than 60% are in Metro Manila.

GCQ for moderate-risk areas

Meanwhile, a state of general community quarantine (GCQ) will remain in moderate-risk areas from May 16 to 31. Under the GCQ, people may enjoy limited movement to procure essential goods and go to work, as government offices and most businesses may resume partial operations with a maximum of 75% of their workforce. However, concerning leisure and entertainment establishments will still be closed.

Transportation services will be limited to government and those supporting private operations. Schools may open in limited capacity and engage flexible learning arrangements. The Department of Health (DoH) also urged the public to observe minimum public health standards in GCQ areas. Cities and provinces under the GCQ include:

–听 Region II 鈥� Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Santiago City

–听 Region III 鈥� Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales,Angeles City, Olongapo City

–听 Region IV-A 鈥� Cavite, Quezon, Rizal, Batangas

–听 Cordillera Administrative Region 鈥� Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, MountainProvince, Baguio City

–听 Region VII 鈥� Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City

–听 Region IX 鈥� Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay,Zamboanga City, Isabela City

–听 Region XI 鈥� Davao City, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, DavaoOccidental, Davao Oriental

–听 Region XIII 鈥� Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte,Surigao del Sur, Butuan City

Modified GCQ for low-risk areas

For eight regions that are considered as low-risk, a 鈥渕odified鈥� GCQ will be put in place from May 16 to 31, according to a revised IATF decision announced by Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo A帽o on May 13.

鈥�Kapag wala nang听quarantine听ay ine-expect na magkakaroon ng听second or third wave.听Kaya wala na tayongarea听sa buong Pilipinas na hindi听under ng community quarantine,听iba-iba lang po ng听level,鈥� he explains.

Movement in areas under 鈥渕odified鈥� GCQ is more relaxed. Workers are allowed to report back to their jobs, even in non-essential industries provided they observe the minimum public health standards. Cities and provinces under the 鈥渕odified鈥� GCQ include:

– Region I 鈥� Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Dagupan City

– Region IV-B 鈥� Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Puerto Princesa City

– Region V 鈥� Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Legazpi City, Naga City

– Region VI 鈥� Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, lloilo, Negros Occidental, Iloilo City,Bacolod City

– Region VIII 鈥� Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, Tacloban City

– Region X 鈥� Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, MisamisOriental, Cagayan de Oro City

–听 Region XII – North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, GeneralSantos City

–听 Bangasamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao 鈥� Basilan, Lanao del Sur,Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Cotabato City

In all categories, the public is directed to wear face masks, observe proper social/physicaldistancing, constant handwashing and disinfecting to prevent the spread of coronavirus. As of May 13, the country recorded 11,618 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 772 deaths and 2,251 recoveries.

Where to take free online classes during the COVID-19 lockdown

We each have unique ways of coping up with the current global health pandemic. Some slow down, recharge and take this time to break away from the toxicity of the 鈥榟ustle鈥� culture. Others choose to work doubly hard or broaden their skill set in the hopes of finding better opportunities after the lockdown.

Thanks to modern technologies, we can come out of this pandemic better and more equipped. When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) forced us to stay home, several organizations and learning platforms have opened their doors by providing free online access to their training courses and programs. The step enabled millions of people at home to pursue knowledge despite numerous hurdles.

Check out these educational platforms and discover what suits your interests or supports your career advancement goals:

Coursera

The online learning platform has been providing free learning opportunities even before the COVID-19 broke out. However, on March 25, it launched new, free resources and course collections to help millions of learners across the globe, including the Philippines.

In partnership with leading institutions such as Caltech, Columbia University, Google, and IBM, Coursera currently offers courses on mental health and well-being, career development, technology, public health and COVID-19, as well as data science, people skills and gaming industry. There are also free courses for high school and college students.

Where to access:听

, Apple App Store, Google Play Store

edX

Founded by Michigan Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard in 2012, it has now partnered with over 140 leading universities, non-profits, NGOs, and corporations to provide wide-ranging classes for free.

The platform mostly offers computer science, business and management, engineering, social sciences and humanities courses and programs but has now expanded with epidemics courses. Learners may deepen their understanding of pop culture, parenting, happiness, law, design and languages.

Where to access:听

, Apple App Store, Google Play Store

Kadenze

For those who are geared towards the arts and creative technology, Kadenze is the digital learning platform to access first.

The subjects they offer include music, design, creative computing, music technology, fashion, web development, animation, photography, videography, architecture, and performing arts, entrepreneurship and more.

These classes are moderated by highly-regarded institutions, including Columbia University, Sydney Opera House, National University of Singapore, Princeton University and Paris College of Art.

Where to access:

Khan Academy

The Khan Academy offers personalized learning resources for all ages 鈥� from pupils in preschool to students in elementary, high school and early college 鈥� despite school closures.

For parents at home, the Khan Academy Kids can be installed for free. It enables adults to sit down with kids and guide them through classes on reading, writing, math, handwriting practices, social-emotional learning and more.

For advanced level learning, Khan Academy publishes thousands of exercises, videos and articles on grammar, government, math, science, economics, humanities, and history and more. The activities can be downloaded or bookmarked for offline access.

Where to access: , Apple App Store, Google PlayStore

The Culinary Cook

For aspiring chefs and cooks (or those wanting to learn new skills), The Culinary Cook is designed to develop needed skills to thrive in the culinary industry (or cook like a pro in the kitchen).

Through published articles, aspiring chefs will learn everything from spices, flavorings, stocks, broths, pasta, soups, meats and fish to knife handling, baking, cooking techniques and choosing culinary schools.

Where to access:

TESDA online program

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) launched an online program to encourage Filipinos to develop new skills and learn new crafts while in quarantine.

Students may freely access classes on finance, fruit growing, massage therapy, beauty care services, housekeeping, bread and pastry production, cookery, food processing, solar night light assembly, software development and android programing.

Enrollees will have to learn from video learning materials and pass quizzes to get a certificate of completion. A national certification, on the other hand, will be given when the COVID-19 situation normalizes, as it requires assessment tests at technical schools.

Where to access:

Udemy

From meditation, goal setting, fitness, and personal productivity to web development, entrepreneurship fundamentals, investment and game development, the online learning portal offers various classes that help learners find their niche.

It also provides free access to COVID-19 Toolkit for Nonprofits and Ministries course, which guides leaders on how to respond to the current pandemic effectively.

Where to access:

WHO听

It鈥檚 clear that industries, especially the health care sector, will have to embrace the new normal. While the world is still ironing its strategies against the new virus, we have to amplify our preparedness efforts on COVID-19, especially when the lockdowns are lifted.

For frontliners and those who are planning to pursue a career in affected industries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a section dedicated to COVID-19-related online training and simulation exercises.

Some online training modules on the website discuss proper ways to put on and remove personal protective equipment, standard precautions, hand hygiene, and infection prevention and control for COVID-19.

Where to access:

The COVID-19 may have stopped us from holding graduation ceremonies, shaking hands, hugging and high-fiving, but it can never stop us from developing new skills, pursuing knowledge, enriching ourselves and moving forward, especially with modern technology up our sleeves.

Experts weigh in on how employees can better tackle important career decisions in the face of uncertainties brought by the pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a looming global recession. It has posed an uncertain future in the economy and employment with various industries walking on a thin line. As a result, employees are faced with decisions 鈥� should they stay in their current jobs or move on to the next phase of their careers?

To help Filipino workers determine their next career move, The Philippine STAR鈥檚 CareerGuide shared insights on important job decisions during the pandemic.

The online discussion featured TalentView chief executive officer Anj Vera, Inspire Leadership Consultancy Inc. general manager and leadership consultant Jeff Manhilot, and TaskUs human resources leader Atty. Bianca Bacani.

Ensuring stability among employees

One of the major factors that determines an employee鈥檚 career decision is how their employers maintain stability during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Ms. Vera, employers should establish effective communication with their employees.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter if you鈥檙e a small company or a big company, whether you see it or not 鈥� you have an employer brand. Especially in this crisis, it鈥檚 vital that you protect it, communicate well with your organization and just showcase who you are because it always comes out. Your true self comes out in a crisis like this,鈥� she stated.

Ms. Vera also urged companies to provide sufficient assistance and strengthen their leadership skills for their employees鈥� sake.

鈥淧our out your resources for your organization: show them that you鈥檙e present, that you have strong leadership capabilities and that you鈥檙e at the forefront of this crisis,鈥� Ms. Vera said.

听Working hand in hand during the crisis

Because of the pandemic, many companies experienced drastic changes in business operations. This includes the work-from-home setup, which goes beyond the traditional working relationship. Mr. Manhilot stated that employees and employers should preserve a stable working relationship.

鈥淚t will all play down with the combination of the two things. One is how the leaders are doing it and at the same time, how employees should be taking it,鈥� he added. “We need to put into perspective that leaders have to play a huge role in making sure that the organizations they鈥檙e leading are really taken care of in all aspects.鈥�

In making wise career decisions, Mr. Manhilot and Atty. Bacani encouraged employees to understand that various sectors are also affected because of the pandemic.

鈥淎s an individual, we all have to understand that our leaders are also encountering the same thing. The virus is a great equalizer, regardless kung nandito ka sa sitwasyon na ito or ito ‘yung position mo sa organization. The amount of fear or risk is the same,鈥� he said.

鈥淚nevitably, our employees will feel uncertain, they will feel sad that there are so many changes around. Here鈥檚 the challenge for our employees, we want you to step up in this crisis as well. Once your employee steps up and tries to help you, you will also need to step up,鈥� Ms. Bacani added.

Despite this, Ms. Vera advised employers to be transparent with their employees. 鈥淲e really need to see our leaders communicating well enough, sometimes even as simple as being transparent is appreciated by your organization. It cannot be that the leaders are the ones who are silent,鈥� she said.听

Making life-changing career decisions

Employees are faced with decisions on whether they should stay or move on with their careers as a result of the pandemic. With this, Ms. Bacani advised workers to consider important factors such as employment opportunities, salaries, and more.

鈥淓very career move, it has to be a deliberate act. Whether or not there is a global pandemic or crisis, we have to take a pragmatic stance with regards to our career choices,鈥� she added.

Since career transitions is a life-changing move for employees, Ms. Bacani stated that it鈥檚 a personal decision that one needs to make.

鈥淒o you want to make a career change now? It depends. It鈥檚 a ‘no’ if you don鈥檛 have a plan, if you鈥檙e not pursuing your passion and you鈥檙e not doing anything productive. But on the other side, it鈥檚 a ‘yes’ if you are pursuing career growth, if you鈥檙e pursuing your passion or you鈥檙e protecting your mental health,鈥� she said.

For more information about employment, job openings and advertising options, visit CareerGuide PH on Facebook and LinkedIn.

听

听

听

On May 7, the number of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines breached the 10 thousand-mark, reaching 10,343 cases with 685 deaths and 1,618 recoveries. The country is now among 40 nations worldwide that registered 10,000 or more COVID-19 cases.

To stem the rise of COVID-19 cases, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has set up 132 sample collecting booths nationwide and ramped up the accreditation of COVID-19 laboratories as the government initiates expanded testing to include symptomatic individuals, pregnant women, the elderly, the immuno-compromised and medical workers showing symptoms.

According to the May 6 issue of Beat COVID-19 Today published by the Department of Health (DoH), there have been 126,713 unique individuals tested for COVID-19. A total of 140,134 tests have been conducted and 235,311 test supplies remain in the national stockpile. The 22 laboratories licensed to run real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests have managed to process 7,130 tests per day, inching closer to the DoH target of 8,000 daily tests processed.

鈥淭esting is the cornerstone of our response,鈥� Health Secretary Francisco Duque said, emphasizing the importance of conducting more tests in order to ensure early detection of cases and timely isolation of confirmed COVID-19 patients to mitigate the risk of community transmission.

The DoH earlier stressed that those most at risk for COVID-19 will be given priority for the expanded testing. Based on the Department Memorandum No. 2020-0151, the following reflects the sub-groups of at-risk individuals arranged in order of greatest to lowest need for testing:

鈥� Subgroup A – Patients or healthcare workers with severe or critical symptoms

鈥� Subgroup B – Patients or healthcare workers with mild symptoms, relevant history of travel/contact and considered vulnerable (elderly, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, etc.)

鈥� Subgroup C – Patients or healthcare workers with mild symptoms, relevant history of travel/contact

鈥� Subgroup D – Patients or healthcare workers with no symptoms butrelevant travel history/contact.

Anyone who requests to get tested must first be assessed by a licensed health professional who shall determine where he falls into any of the prioritized groups (Subgroup A and B) and whether he should get tested immediately. Upon assessment, the patient will be instructed to proceed to the most accessible health facility for testing. An RT-PCR test will be used to confirm COVID-19 among patients. Afterwards, a patient may be advised to undergo home quarantine or proceed to a community quarantine facility.

鈥淭hose who think they are infected will still need to be assessed by a health professional. They can do this in the comfort of your home through Telemedicine consultations. We want to avoid people crowding and lining up in our testing centers to demand for tests even if they do not experience any symptom,鈥� explained Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire during a virtual presser.

The DoH recommends calling the 24/7 Telemedicine Hotline or consulting health professionals from the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) to check if one needs to be tested.

Metro Manila residents may call 02-8424-1724 or 02-7798-8000. Those outside NCR may call 1555 (for all networks) and the (02) 8942-6843 hotline for medical advice. Once confirmed, the patient will be referred to the nearest available facility for testing.

A prediction paper听released by a听Singaporean university projects听how long until COVID-19 reaches the last expected case听in a particular country, including the Philippines

As the world struggles with the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),听a forecast听released by the听Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)听last April 29听aims to听shed light on when the pandemic听might end in some countries, even听in听the Philippines.

DATA-DRIVEN PREDICTIONS

Using an artificial intelligence (A.I.) algorithm听to study and analyze the most recent available data on total confirmed cases, total deaths, new confirmed cases, new deaths and population figures, the SUTD has been able to project the infection curve and generate a best guess of probable dates on when it believes the coronavirus disease will 鈥渆nd鈥澨齩r reach the last expected case in a particular country.

The predictions provide three alternative estimates of end dates in the order of conservativeness:

– the date to reach 97% of total expected cases

– the date to reach 99% of total expected cases, and

– the date to reach the last expected case.

Here are the projections on some countries in Southeast Asia.

Singapore听鈥� The听city state of Singapore has a 97% chance of seeing the virus end by May 9, 99% on May 15, and 100% by June 10.

Philippines听鈥撎鼳ccording to the听AI听algorithm, the Philippines听is 97% likely to see the virus end by May 12, 99% by May 23,听and听might be听100% virus-free听by July 8.

Indonesia听鈥� Indonesia is seen to have a 97% probability of the virus ending by May 26, 99% by June 7, and 100% by July 30.

Malaysia听鈥� According to data, the algorithm estimates that Malaysia has a 97% chance to see an end to the virus by May 6, 99% 听on May 19, and 100% on July 8.

Vietnam听鈥撎齎ietnam听has a 97% chance of seeing the pandemic end in their country by April 18, 99% on April 29, and 100% by May 14.

Overall, the global projection believes that most of the world will be free from the pandemic on December 1. However optimistic as the predictions听may seem, the forecast听is still subject to change听depending on a variety of factors like virus mutation, population movement,听and government response to the crisis.

OTHER COVID-19 FORECASTING EFFORTS

The SUTD鈥檚听prediction听is听just one of the studies conducted to shed light on the ever-changing听trends of the听ongoing pandemic. Other more systemic COVID-19 forecasting efforts are spearheaded by academic institutions around the world, including听the University of Washington (), University of Texas at Austin (), Imperial College London () and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ().

The听Singaporean听study is refreshed with updated data from different countries to estimate the pandemic life cycle curves and provide theoretical ending dates, with codes provided by Milan Batista and data from听Our World in Data. Because of the input of updated data, predictions are also expected to change as a result of听variations听in real-world scenarios over time. The听whole projection听can be viewed at听.

Disclaimer: Due to data limitations, not all countries are included in the analysis. It is strongly suggested to drop the earlier predictions for the countries no longer included due to the rapid changes in real-world scenarios. The list of countries reported will also vary daily depending on data.

Muslims are now in the midst of month-long fasting, prayer and reflection.

Ramadan, one of the holiest periods in the Islamic calendar, is a social and spiritual time of the year 鈥� a holy month of fasting that reminds Muslims of the sufferings of the less fortunate and brings them closer to God through prayer and reflection.

Traditionally, Muslims would come together to prayer in mosques and hold Iftar gatherings with families and friends afterwards. However, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now transforming how the holy month is celebrated.

To save lives, large social gatherings are restricted and prayer halls are closed. Imams are calling their brothers and sisters to stay home and keep the faith and tradition alive in their homes.

Joining the Muslim community in prayer and celebration, Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) listed down the following tips to safely maintain the sanctity of Ramadan:

Attend prayer gatherings online

Along with dawn-to-dusk fasting, Muslims would say the Taraweeh prayer along with the community inside the mosque to seek forgiveness and bring themselves closer to Allah.

Since mosques are closed, Imams are encouraging their brothers and sisters to say their prayers with immediate family members within the comforts of their homes. To deepen their faith, they may also join the rest of the community via live-streamed or broadcasted prayer gatherings or seminars.

听Send Zakat al-Fitr through online transactions

One crucial aspect of Zakat al-Fitr is showing charity to others, usually in the form of food donation drives. Here, the faithful gather to prepare and distribute meals to those in need.

As we face a global health crisis, Muslims may donate their Zakat al-Fitr to their chosen causes via online transactions. Families may also opt to prepare packed foods in their respective kitchens. Instead of going out in groups, a designated member of the family may deliver the food to a trusted institution for safe and centralized distribution.

听Use prayers and meditations to fortify mental and psychosocial health

Ramadan is a special opportunity to lift up to Allah any fears and worries.

Since we are going through a storm, lean on to prayer and meditation to ease the burdens within us. This will also help us cope with the symptoms of anxiety, depression or other mental health problems.

The community may also offer their prayers to comfort the distressed, guide the frontline workers, and heal the sick.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic suddenly changed the way we worship, people鈥檚 faith will remain intact. This will serve the community鈥檚 guiding light toward a safe, faithful and meaningful celebration of the Ramadan.

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, social structures, such as the family and educational institutions, are shifting gears to adjust to the new normal.

Schools are directly affected by the crisis, and parents and caregivers are faced with the responsibility of helping children cope. Meanwhile, the children continue to process what is going on around them. Understanding COVID-19 through the innocence of a child is a big shoe to fill, but it doesn鈥檛 have to be hard. Here are some tips to help your children get by in these unusual times.

ALLOW YOUR CHILD TO LEARN THROUGH AGE-APPROPRIATE MEANS.
Children tend to ask a lot of questions 鈥� not only about the pandemic, but also about how to deal with it on their own. If you鈥檙e unsure how to teach them through age-appropriate ways, check out kid-friendly shows such as Sesame Street鈥檚 鈥淐aring for Each Other鈥� platform.

鈥淒uring this time, there鈥檚 a lot of unknowns and parents don鈥檛 know how to actually talk to their children about what鈥檚 going on. (Sesame Street) is there to provide specific language on how to talk about this health crisis (and) give parents concrete ideas and tips on how to help their children learn,鈥� Sesame Workshop SVP of curriculum and content Dr. Rosemarie Truglion said in another interview.

The platform includes tips such as maintaining healthy habits, soothing and comforting your loved ones, and proper handwashing techniques.

鈥淲e know that children learn best through play, so we try to help parents know that during playtime, you can incorporate learning as well,鈥� Ms. Truglio added.

OFFER A LISTENING EAR AND A HELPING HAND.
Since children tend to be curious, they鈥檙e more prone to misinformation, even within their own environment.

According to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), discussing the pandemic with your children can help them understand what鈥檚 happening. It鈥檚 also the responsibility of grown-ups to assure them of their safety.

INFORM YOUR CHILD BUT SET LIMITATIONS.
Allow your child to speak up about what they feel during the pandemic. Despite this, it鈥檚 the parents or caregiver鈥檚 responsibility to assess what information to share.
The NASP advised grown-ups to set boundaries on what information to share to children. There鈥檚 nothing wrong in being honest with them, but don鈥檛 give unnecessary details since it might affect their well-being.

Oftentimes, oversharing might make children worry since it goes beyond what they can control. Children are more relaxed when they鈥檙e in control of what鈥檚 happening around them.

MAINTAIN A ROUTINE ALONG WITH KID-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES.
It鈥檚 important for a child鈥檚 well-being to maintain their daily routines. Make it more fun by providing kid-friendly activities for them.

A fun activity to entertain your child is to show them the joy of reading. You can do this by reading storybooks or downloading Rivet. It鈥檚 a free reading app that offers over 2,000 topics that will suit your child.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILD鈥橲 MENTAL HEALTH.
Nonprofit children鈥檚 health system Nemours emphasized that grown-ups should assure children that it鈥檚 okay to feel stressed out. Just like adults, children feel distress, too.
Allow your child to talk about their worries to help them recognize what they鈥檙e feeling. Making them feel comfortable gives them assurance that things will eventually be okay. It also helps them develop their stability and inner strength.

BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL.
At the end of the day, your child wouldn鈥檛 learn if you鈥檙e not a good role model. Children learn from what they see, and it鈥檚 your responsibility to apply what you鈥檙e teaching them.

Set a good example by washing your hands, eating healthy food and making sure that you鈥檝e got things under control. You鈥檒l be surprised to see how your child will adapt to what you do.

Despite the horrors of COVID-19, this is an opportunity for parents or caregivers to help children learn. It鈥檚 important to note that children rely on adults for guidance.
Teaching and talking to your children have a positive effect, as it will influence them to grow up into responsible members of society.

Why are they at risk and what can we do to help?

In hard-hit areas such as the US and Italy, deaths due to COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) in the elderly group are noticeably higher compared to younger populations. In the Philippines, 353 out of 511 fatalities are aged 60 and above, as of April 28.

Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana, director of UP-NIH鈥檚 Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, said that COVID-19 might look like a common cold for those below the age of 10; it may also be a little deadlier than the flu for those aged 10 to 60. But for those above 60 years old, the death rate is similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

鈥淎ny age group can be infected by COVID-19 because there is no immunity,鈥� he explained. However, the highest risk for complications are those above 60 years old, and those with pre-existing illnesses like cancer, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and lung disease.鈥�

The immune system tends to get weaker with age. And with age-related decline in immune function, the body is less able to fight off infectious diseases. Health conditions that show increasing prevalence with age also cause decline in immune response.

Furthermore, Dr. Kate Tulenko, a physician and global health specialist, told the World Economic Forum (WEF) that elders also face social challenges, such as isolation and mobility issues during this outbreak.

鈥淏ecause they鈥檙e isolated, they can鈥檛 get information about what to do, or not able to get the food they need if stores are out of stock and things become more difficult. In many societies, seniors are more likely to live in poverty, which makes it more difficult for them to get the things they need and to take care of themselves. Poverty presents a whole range of challenges pertaining to health,鈥� she said.

Dr. Salvana advised at-risk groups to take extra precautions to decrease the likelihood of getting infected.

鈥淭hey should avoid leaving their houses as much as possible, and they should wear a mask when they go out in public. They should wash hands frequently, and caregivers should do likewise.鈥�

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), an inter-agency forum of United Nations (UN) and non-UN humanitarian partners, advised families and caregivers of elderlies to provide emotional support and adequate medical needs and supplies. In a safe environment, they should be given time to do simple exercises or activities to improve mobility and decrease boredom.

They should also have easy access to simple facts and updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. Families and caregivers must patiently, concisely and respectfully share clear information on how to avoid getting infected.

If elders get infected by COVID-19, Dr. Salvana advised caregivers to immediately contact health-care professionals by phone.

鈥淚f the patient is short of breath, he/she needs to be taken to the hospital emergency room immediately. Caretakers should wear appropriate personal protective equipment as much as possible so that they do not get infected. If the patient elects to stay at home and has relatively mild disease, he/she should be isolated in a single room. If this is not possible, the local government unit may be able to provide space in a community quarantine facility. The important thing is to recognize that the patient is at higher risk and always be guided by competent medical advice,鈥� he said.

Despite the lingering fear and anonymity, COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) survivors are now living hopeful lives.

Three of them bravely told their tales of how the virus has changed the course of their physical, mental, and overall health. (Caution: Details in this story may trigger fear, stress, and anxiety among other COVID-19 survivors and suspected, probable and positive case individuals.) As of April 29, there are 8,212 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. Despite this, patients seek to live another day 鈥� hoping to find their way back home.

PH4: CARLO NAVARRO
Seven days after a family trip to Japan, Mr. Navarro experienced chills and a low-grade fever of 37.7掳C. The hospital said his symptoms were mild, but he insisted to get tested. The fever eventually subsided, but he experienced muscle pain and dry cough.

He soon received a call from the Department of Health (DoH) confirming that he was positive for COVID-19. Immediately, he was whisked away by an ambulance to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

鈥淚 suspect I got infected during our family鈥檚 February 25 flight back home from Haneda to Manila. Behind my seat was a man coughing vigorously,鈥� Mr. Navarro shared. 鈥淲e thought we were making up for the risk by wearing masks, washing and rubbing our hands with alcohol and essential oil, and wearing disposable latex gloves which we regularly changed and threw away.鈥�

When Mr. Navarro was confirmed to be positive, the Philippines only had three positive cases. They were Chinese tourists from Wuhan.

鈥淭his made it doubly frightening; it was surreal.My first thought was that my daughter, wife and helpers might get infected. Thankfully, they all tested negative,鈥� Mr. Navarro recounted. His family was frightened as well. His daughter cried a lot in the beginning, while his wife remained strong.

Mr. Navarro experienced diarrhea and fever on the sixth day of his confinement. 鈥淎t that point, my doctors had suspected pneumonia, which was confirmed the following day. I (also) began to lose my appetite and vomited everything I ate,鈥� he shared.

However, it wasn鈥檛 the treatment and physical pain that put more strain on Mr. Navarro鈥檚 health 鈥� it was the psychological effects of the virus. 鈥淚 was vomiting endlessly and had diarrhea probably due to stress,鈥� he shared. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the pandemic has also caused a crisis on mental health worldwide.

鈥淚t was terrifying to hear wails and cries from adjoining rooms when other patients would not make it through the night,鈥� Mr. Navarro admitted. Despite this, his battle with COVID-19 strengthened his faith in God.

After 10 days in confinement, Mr. Navarro was discharged. He still experiences cough but his doctor said it is the effect of his lungs recovering from pneumonia. He was notified of his latest test result, which was negative, two weeks after his discharge.

PH# UNKNOWN: KAI SORIANO
Ms. Soriano鈥檚 story is a different one since she works on the frontline to defend patients from the virus.

鈥淲orking in the emergency room means we handle countless patients with differing diagnoses. Before the implementation of ECQ, there was a sudden influx of patients tagged as PUI. Therefore, pinpointing a specific patient as my source would be difficult,鈥� she shared.

However, the last patient she handled was experiencing shortness of breath, although it seemed he was suffering from a myocardial infarction or heart attack. He eventually passed away 鈥� it turned out he was COVID-19 positive.

Ms. Soriano thought she was only experiencing a regular flu when she got tested. 鈥淚 had fever and diarrhea, so I considered it just a normal stomach flu. What was quite unusual was I didn鈥檛 have a sense of taste and smell. That鈥檚 why it was quite a surprise when I saw my results,鈥� she admitted.

Ms. Soriano and her family kept her condition a secret to avoid unnecessary panic. However, she was not confined in a hospital and was placed under strict quarantine.

鈥淓very (person) living in our house was not permitted to go outside. We were discriminated,鈥� Ms. Soriano recalled. 鈥淥ne day, I woke up to soldiers banging on our gate (while) yelling (through a) megaphone that I was a COVID-19 positive patient. It was then proceeded by them surrounding our house with yellow 鈥楥aution鈥� tapes.鈥�

On April 6, the Metro Manila Council urged local ordinances to penalize acts of discrimination and violence against frontline workers, overseas Filipino workers and individuals under suspect, probable and positive cases. President Rodrigo R. Duterte and the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases also urged local government units, police and military to prohibit discriminatory acts.

Ms. Soriano shared that she fought emotionally since she was also worried about her family鈥檚 safety. 鈥淲hat made home quarantine difficult was that I had to isolate myself in a separate room. It wasn鈥檛 comfortable, but I had no other choice than to stay inside,鈥� she added.

When Ms. Soriano was declared as COVID-19-free, she was advised to boost her immune system by drinking water, taking vitamins, and eating nutritious food.

For Ms. Soriano, the discrimination that she and her family experienced was due to lack of awareness.

鈥淗ealth education and information dissemination is the primary responsibility of each LGU and health worker, so they must be properly oriented to not add more confusion and unnecessary stress. There must also be a uniform process for all of COVID-related cases that may arise,鈥� she said.When asked about her patient number, Ms. Soriano admitted that it was never relayed to her.

PH358: ROGELIO BUENO, JR.
Mr. Bueno admitted that he was in denial when he showed symptoms. On the other hand, his wife Joanna was worried about his condition since he was already experiencing fever, weakness, and difficulty in breathing.

鈥淛oanna was telling me, 鈥榖aka (COVID-19) na yan.鈥� I was in denial, 鈥榤alakas katawan ko and ang taba ko, 鈥榙i ako tatablan niyan鈥� was my response to my wife,鈥� Mr. Bueno shared in his Facebook post.

According to Mr. Bueno, his symptoms quickly progressed from mild to severe. He visited various hospitals, was initially diagnosed with systemic viral illness and was prescribed various medicines as a result.

It wasn鈥檛 until the sixth hospital where Mr. Bueno got tested for COVID-19, and received his results. 鈥淭he nasal swab test was very painful, it was a long stick that is inserted very deep per nostril. The throat swab test is more tolerable, thought it can still make you gag,鈥� he admitted.

Mr. Bueno admitted that he was suffering from pre-existing asthma, hypertension and diabetes prior to being tested. Since he came from a family of doctors, they knew that his existing illnesses will complicate his condition.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard for them because, as doctors, they go to the hospital to check their patients, but they can鈥檛 check on me since I was in isolation. At the same time, they were also put in quarantine after being exposed to me,鈥� he added.

Like Mr. Navarro, Mr. Bueno also experienced anxiety as he dealt with the disease. 鈥淚 was feeling hopeless and was preparing myself for the worst. Regrets were on my mind,鈥� he admitted. He thought that he was not ready for his wife to be a widow at a young age.

鈥淕ood thing my wife was with me. She helped me pull through and just get through each day by telling me not to give up, by praying with me and constantly reminding me to have faith in God and that I will be healed,鈥� he shared.

Eventually, Mr. Bueno was declared to be COVID-19-free. To maintain his condition, he observed health precautions such as taking antibiotics and checking his vital signs regularly. Despite the experience, he is grateful to have a second chance to live.

鈥淚 think (health sectors) should appreciate the frontliners more because they are putting their lives at stake (every day). I think they should be protected as well,鈥� Mr. Bueno said.

Recovering from the virus is only the beginning of another battle for many survivors. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, many are likely to deal with the virus鈥� lingering effects and the treatments used to overcome it.

Despite this, survivors remain hopeful. 鈥淐OVID-19 is not a death sentence. Since our immune systems can defend it, it is important to stay strong not just physically, but also emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually,鈥� Mr. Navarro said.

Having the second chance to live was not easy for the three survivors. But they continue to live, hoping their stories can help patients find their way home, too.

Authorities all over the globe are doing their best to curb the number of positive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths. Quarantine and lockdown measures have been implemented, with the goal of 鈥渇lattening the curve.鈥� But what does it really mean?

This curve is what researchers refer to as the projected number of people who will contract COVID-19 over a period of time, a theoretical number used to model the virus鈥� spread.

In the graph, there are two curves 鈥� a steep one and a flatter one. The steep curve shows the spread of the virus and the infection rate at its most escalated state. The steep rise of the infection curve also has a steep fall 鈥� meaning, after the virus infects the majority of the people, the cases will begin to drop exponentially as well.

The flatter curve, on the other hand, assumes the same number of people getting infected but over a longer period of time or at a slower rate. The slower infection rate means a less stressed health-care system 鈥� with enough medical frontliners to attend to patients and adequate medical equipment and facilities.

UNDERSTANDING THE SPANISH FLU PANDEMIC

Experts keep using the Spanish Flu to show how to flatten the curve.

The H1N1 virus, which originated from birds, caused a global pandemic in the late 1910s. It was first identified in the US in the spring of 1918, but was dubbed as Spanish Flu because during the First World War, Spain was a neutral party and therefore could report on the severity of the pandemic.

It was the world鈥檚 last big pandemic caused by a respiratory-based virus and the third deadliest in the last millennium with 50 million casualties.

Since the world was in the middle of a war, medical facilities were stretched as hospitals had to treat the injured and attend to the casualties of war. Add to this, many doctors were also on the frontline. Another factor why the virus spread widely was because of poor hygiene, as people lived in difficult and crowded conditions.

There was no vaccine available, which is also the case for the COVID-19 now. There were no antibiotics to treat secondary infections. The only non-pharmaceutical responses available to control the spread of the flu were isolation, quarantine, limited public gatherings, and use of disinfectants.

DO THESE MEASURES WORK?

Yes. Studies have shown that social distancing (or physical distancing) is crucial to prevent viruses. Minimizing close contact with others reduces the chances of catching the virus and spreading it to the community.

In the Philippines, the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) has helped contain the spread of COVID-19, according to Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of the Philippines – National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH).
In a Facebook post last April 18, Salvana said that with a little over 200 cases of COVID-19 daily, 鈥渢here is little doubt the ECQ has succeeded in slowing down the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines.鈥�

鈥淓ven without 鈥榤ass testing,鈥� the fact that we are measuring the severe/critical population on a daily basis gives us a good picture of the shape of the curve.鈥�

Based on the data from the Department of Health (DOH), the number of cases had 鈥済one from a three-day doubling time from March 28 to 31 (from 1,000 to 2,000, the tail end of the number of cases prior to ECQ since incubation time was up to 14 days) to a doubling time of 14 days (from 3,000 to 6,000 between April 4 and 18).鈥�

But he also pointed out that 鈥渄ue to the extreme cost to the economy, the ECQ is not a sustainable intervention.鈥� Nevertheless, it has bought time for health-care facilities to prepare and prevent an overwhelming surge of patients to the hospitals.

The potential for cases to surge is always there, but this will not be seen within two weeks after quarantine is lifted. This is because the first two weeks will be made up of cases acquired during the lockdown as incubation period is up to 14 days.

鈥淭his may lull us into a false sense of security if it stays low until there has been real harm done. Therefore, if ECQ is going to be modified, it needs to be done slowly and allow the data to catch up, so we know what is truly going on,鈥� he suggested.

The Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) order in the National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon (Region 3), Calabarzon (Region 4A) and other high-risk areas is further extended until May 15, Malaca帽ang announced last Friday, April 24.

President Rodrigo Duterte announced the quarantine extensions and other government efforts to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, as recommended by the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

听HIGH-RISK AREAS UNDER EXTENDED ECQ

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque enumerated the areas covered by the extended ECQ until May 15: Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Albay and Catanduanes, while the status of Benguet, Pangasinan, Tarlac and Zambales may change by April 30.

Meanwhile, the situation in Antique, Aklan, Iloilo, Capiz, Cebu, Cebu City, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro (formerly Compostela Valley) and Davao City will be re-checked. These areas were considered high-risk based on the rising number of cases and the shortfall in medical facilities.

Because of the ECQ order in these areas, public transportation will remain suspended and business establishments ordered closed, except those giving essential services like supermarkets, pharmacies and banks. Classes in all levels are still suspended while residents are ordered to remain indoors.

听GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE, THE NEW NORMAL

Starting May 1, a less stringent form of lockdown 鈥� General Community Quarantine (GCQ) 鈥� will be in place in areas with low to moderate risk. 鈥淎ll provinces not under the ECQ will be included in the 鈥榥ew normal鈥� called the GCQ,鈥� Roque said.

Moderate-risk provinces include Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Sultan Kudarat and Lanao del Sur.

Meanwhile, the following provinces are considered low-risk areas: Apayao, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Batanes, Quirino, Aurora, Palawan, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Sorsogon, Guimaras, Bohol, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Davao Occidental, Sarangani, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Basilan and Sulu.

SUBJECT FOR EVALUATION

Meanwhile, there are provinces classified as moderate-risk areas that will be subject to evaluation. They can either be placed on ECQ or GCQ depending on the recommendations of the IATF. These are Abra, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Marinduque, Camarines Sur, Samar, Western Samar, Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, South Cotabato and Maguindanao.

In areas placed under GCQ, the 鈥渘ew normal鈥� will be as follows:

– Restricted movement but work is allowed in some sectors

– The general population may go out to acquire basic necessities, except those under 20 and over 60 years old must remain indoors

– Non-leisure stores in malls and shopping centers may partially open

– Restaurants may open for takeout and delivery only

– Airports and seaports may operate to allow unhampered movement of goods

– Full operation recommended for essential industries like agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food manufacturing and all supply chains, supermarkets, hospitals, logistics, media, and utilities like water, power, internet and telecoms

– 50 鈥� 100 percent opening is recommended for electronics, exports, e-commerce and delivery, repair and maintenance services, housing and office services

– 50 percent onsite and 50 percent remote work is recommended for financial services, BPO, non-leisure wholesale trade and non-leisure service

– Priority and essential government construction projects may continue

– Higher education institutions may continue online classes to finish the academic year and issue credentials to students. School and universities should consider opening classes in September

As coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) cases soar, industries scramble to cushion the impact of the pandemic. Strategies include the implementation of work-from-home (WFH) arrangements.

To know how companies thrive amid the pandemic, The Philippine STAR鈥檚 CareerGuide section discussed ways on how to manage working relationships, adjust into the WFH lifestyle, and move forward to a post-COVID-19 society.

The Facebook live discussion billed CG Live! featured PhilSTAR Media Group EVP Lucien Dy Tioco, HGS Philippines head of corporate communications Jocel De Guzman, and Stores Specialists, Inc. marketing and communications head Mitch Hernandez-Suarez.

听Working as a team

The WFH setup goes beyond the traditional working relationship between the employer and employees. Currently, face-to-face meetings and consultations have moved into video meetings, email exchanges and online organization networks. This is where teamwork in various industries is put to the test.

Ms. Suarez emphasized that despite working from home, teams should maintain a good relationship with one another to work effectively.

鈥淪ince we鈥檙e working in a skeletal arrangement, it鈥檚 important that (teams) need constant and open communication to see how things are working 鈥� if it鈥檚 effective or not 鈥� and to check on each other,鈥� she added.

Mr. De Guzman echoed Ms. Suarez鈥檚 statement, emphasizing that companies need its employees to continue. 鈥淵ou have to take care of your employees first. Business continuity means that if anything happens, you can still run the business,鈥� he said.

Adapting to the WFH lifestyle

Working remotely has advantages such as operating on a flexible schedule, getting more work done and being more independent. However, it entails a lot of adjustments for companies.

As a mother, Ms. Suarez explains to her kids that even if she鈥檚 at home, she is still working. 鈥淚 think families need to be oriented about the WFH arrangement. It鈥檚 not just an adjustment for the company or employee, it鈥檚 also an adjustment for the families that they live with,鈥� she expressed.

Meanwhile, Mr. Dy Tioco shared that the pandemic is a wake-up call for companies to adapt to changes and be ready, should diseases or disasters happen again.

听Is WFH the future?

Various industries are greatly affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), including business process outsourcing (BPO), which plays a vital role in the local economy.

Mr. De Guzman stated that working from home is the future of BPO. The government and telecommunication companies, however, should invest more in infrastructure and address the internet gap.

According to mobile network research firm OpenSignal, Philippines ranks 74th out of 77 countries in terms of 4G speed.

Retail also significantly contributes to the economy, covering 15% of the country鈥檚 total gross national product.

Shopping has been a huge part of modern Filipino culture. While online shopping boosts the retail industry, Suarez said it works hand in hand with on-ground stores to provide quality service to customers.

For Mr. Dy Tioco, the pandemic has helped companies understand the significance of digital transformation. 鈥淲FH is making us realize that certain things are possible because there鈥檚 technology to rely on. But reliability is, in itself, an issue and our country has to step up on our infrastructure,鈥� he expressed.

听

For more information about employment, job openings and advertising options, visit CareerGuide PH on Facebook.

鈥淐an we still live the lives we left behind?鈥�

As the world awaits for COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) developments to unfold, we grapple for answers. What we know for certain is that we have to change our behaviors and live with the new norms.

In the Philippines, Sen. Manny Pacquiao is pushing for a New Normal Law that will establish social distancing and health and hygiene protocols.

Earlier in March, he also filed the Anti-Spitting Act of 2020, which seeks to ban and penalize spitting, coughing and sneezing in public.

Meanwhile, Dr. Edsel Salvana, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the National Institutes of Health 鈥� University of the Philippines Manila, stresses the importance of precautionary measures after the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

鈥淚f the ECQ is going to be modified, it needs to be modified slowly and allow for the data to catch up so we know what is truly going on. Social distancing and universal mask wearing need to continue. Schools should remain closed,鈥� he said.

We gather some new norms that we may expect post-ECQ:

Despite the growing number of recoveries and medical discoveries 鈥� and until we find the vaccine 鈥� the battle against COVID-19 is far from over. But it doesn鈥檛 mean that we have to stop ourselves from moving forward. By accepting proper habits and health-conscious norms, we can halt present and future pandemics.