Wirecard kollabiert nach Bilanzskandal

Wirecard (picture-alliance/dpa/S. Hoppe)

Im Wirecard-Skandal überschlagen sich die Ereignisse: die Affäre um Luftbuchungen hatte bereits personelle Konsequenzen und juristische Ermittlungen zur Folge. Jetzt gerät das ganze Unternehmen in den Abwärtsstrudel.

Nach einem gigantischen Finanzskandal steht der Zahlungsanbieter Wirecard vor der Pleite. Angesichts eines 1,9 Milliarden Euro großen Lochs in der Bilanz meldete Wirecard am Donnerstag Insolvenz wegen drohender Zahlungsunfähigkeit und Überschuldung an. Es werde geprüft, ob auch Insolvenzanträge für Wirecard-Töchter gestellt werden müssen, teilte der Konzern mit. Es ist eine der größten Pleiten der Bundesrepublik, die das Vertrauen in den Finanzplatz Deutschland erschüttert. Erstmals in der mehr als 30-jährigen Geschichte des Leitindex Dax kollabiert ein Dax-Mitglied. Die Aktien stürzten nach einer vorübergehenden Aussetzung des Handels um knapp 80 Prozent auf 2,50 Euro ab. Dennoch wird die Aktie wohl noch bis im September im Leitindex bleiben.

Wirecard hatte in den vergangenen Jahren angeblich ein rasantes Wachstumstempo hingelegt und im September 2018 die Commerzbank aus dem Dax verdrängt. Zu Hochzeiten kostete die Aktie 200 Euro, doch die Geschichte vom erfolgreichen Fintech aus Deutschland erwies sich als Illusion. Zwar sah sich das Unternehmen aus Aschheim bei München seit der Gründung vor zwei Jahrzehnten immer wieder mit Vorwürfen der Bilanzfälschung konfrontiert, doch erst vergangenen Woche brach das Kartenhaus zusammen: Die Wirtschaftsprüfer von EY verweigerten das Testat für die Bilanz 2019, als sich herausstellte, dass Bestätigungen über Treuhandkonten in den Philippinen offensichtlich gefälscht waren. Die dort angeblich liegenden 1,9 Milliarden Euro gab es in Wirklichkeit wohl nie.

Die Gläubigerbanken versuchten sich in den vergangenen Tagen ein Bild davon machen, wie viel des angeblichen Wirecard-Geschäfts tatsächlich existiert und ob sich ein gesunder Kern der Firma retten lässt. Doch die Zeit wurde zu knapp, der Vorstand sah sich zu dem Insolvenzantrag gezwungen. "Ohne eine Einigung mit den Kreditgebern bestand die Wahrscheinlichkeit der Kündigung und des Auslaufens von Krediten mit einem Volumen von 800 Millionen Euro zum 30. Juni 2020 und 500 Millionen Euro zum 1. Juli 2020", erklärte Wirecard.

Ein Großteil der Umsätze existiere anscheinend nur auf dem Papier, die Kosten dagegen seien korrekt ausgewiesen, sagte eine mit der Angelegenheit vertraute Person. "Es gibt keinen Weg, dass sie ihre Schulden von insgesamt 3,5 Milliarden Euro aus dem gesunden Kerngeschäft zurückzahlen können."

Nun müssen die Gläubiger hoffen, möglichst viel Geld im Insolvenzverfahren zu retten. Doch die Chancen scheinen gering. "Das Geld ist weg", hieß es aus einer Bank. "In einigen Jahren werden wir vielleicht ein paar Euro zurückerhalten, aber wir werden den Kredit jetzt abschreiben." Auch aus zwei anderen Banken hieß es, der Kredit werde abgeschrieben. Fraglich sei, was von Wirecard verwertet werden könne. Wettbewerber bräuchten die Wirecard-Technologie wohl nicht und die Kunden, zu denen Firmen wie Aldi, Ikea oder die Fluggesellschaft KLM gehören, könnten sie einfach auf ihre Plattform herüberziehen.

Die Finanzaufsicht BaFin, die erst spät gegen Wirecard vorgegangen ist, steht massiv in der Kritik. "Bei der Finanzaufsicht müssen Köpfe rollen", sagte der Linken-Finanzpolitiker Fabio de Masi. "Der Insolvenzantrag von Wirecard ist ein Fiasko für den Finanzplatz Deutschland." Ins gleiche Horn stieß der Grünen-Finanzpolitiker Danyal Bayaz. "Dass ein Dax-Konzern innerhalb kürzester Zeit als Börsenstar in die Insolvenz schlittern konnte, wirft ein schlechtes Licht auf den gesamten Standort Deutschland", sagte Bayaz. "Besonders die BaFin und Abschlussprüfer müssen umfassend erklären, warum diese Entwicklung zu keinem Zeitpunkt vorhergesehen und verhindert werden konnte."

Dem Wirtschaftsprüfer EY, der jahrelang die Bilanzen von Wirecard testiert hatte, drohen eine Klagewelle und Geschäftseinbußen nach dem massiven Reputationsschaden. Erste Anwaltskanzleien werben bereits für Sammelklagen. Von EY war zunächst keine Stellungnahme zu erhalten.

Die Staatsanwaltschaft München ermittelt bei Wirecard wegen des Verdachts der Bilanzfälschung und der Marktmanipulation. Auch die Insolvenz von Wirecard schaue sich die Behörde an. "Wir werden alle in Betracht kommenden Straftaten prüfen", sagte eine Sprecherin der Staatsanwaltschaft. Sie hat bereits den ehemaligen Konzernchef Markus Braun, der fast 20 Jahre an der Spitze von Wirecard stand, im Visier. Nach einer Nacht in Haft kam er am Dienstag gegen eine Kaution von fünf Millionen Euro auf freien Fuß. Auch Ex-Vorstand Jan Marsalek, der das Unternehmen an der Seite von Braun rund 20 Jahre lang geprägt hat und sich nun möglicherweise auf den Philippinen aufhält, steht im Fokus der Strafverfolger. 

(C) 2020 by DW - Deutsche Welle

Emergency Employment Program for displaced ball-mill operators in Mt. Diwalwal

Davao de Oro Province---When the movement “Lihok Alang sa Naboc” started its operation to rehabilitate the polluted Naboc River, where for over 25 years served as a catchment basin for all waste coming from mining operations in Mt. Diwalwal, more or less 300 small mineral processing plant operations were ceased, temporarily displacing one of the residents’ source of income.

It can be recalled that an intervention has been made relocating them to a proper site in Mabatas Area wherein their operations can take place as the zone has a containment facility preventing direct discharge of waste to the river.

With this, another intervention was made through the initiative of the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) under the Provincial Government of Davao de Oro in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through its Emergency Employment Program, giving jobs to former ball-mill operators and employees.

A total of 136 former operators availed the program with a daily wage of Php 396.00. The said program lasted for 20 days with a budget of more or less 1.1 million pesos from DOLE. Pay out for their wages will be thru MLhullier estimated to be released on June 25, 2020 onwards.

To date, ball-mills were transferred in the Mabatas Area wherein they can resume their operations without sacrificing the Naboc River. (Jasteen Abella, ID DAVAO DE ORO)

PHYSICAL DISTANCING TO PREVAIL WHEN ROXAS NIGHT MARKET REOPENS

Posted on June 25, 2020  by administrator

The Roxas Night Market, which remains closed amid the efforts to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), might soon reopen – albeit, with a limited number of vendors, Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte said.

“We can expect nga ing-ana [control of the number of vendors at the Roxas Night Market] ang mahitabo because of the new normal requirements of [physical] distancing,” Mayor Inday said.

While she cannot give a definite time frame as to when the Roxas Night Market could reopen, she said she was hoping that it would happen very soon.“Of course di nato gusto nga next year pa because dili nato gusto padugayon ang delay sa pagbalik sa trabaho and sa negosyo sa tao,” Mayor Inday said.

She said the reopening of the Roxas Night Market entirely depended on how soon the quarantine measures against the coronavirus disease 2019 are lifted.The Roxas Night Market, despite having been bombed in September 2016, continues to gain popularity as a destination, not only among the locals but also tourists.It was shut down when the virus struck the city a few months back.To cushion the impact of its closure on vendors, they were enrolled in the TUPAD program of the city and the Department of Labor and Employment, under which, they were asked to do minimal work in exchange for P396 per day for 30 days. CIO

Davao de Oro partners with UP-Mindanao, DOST XI to build COVID test lab

DAVAO DE ORO --- Ramping up the efforts to curb the COVID-19 threat, the Provincial Government of Davao de Oro has partnered with the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao, and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) XI for the planned construction of a COVID-19 testing laboratory at the Davao de Oro Provincial Hospital-Montevista (DdOPH).

The ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was recently signed yesterday, June 22, 2020 (Monday), at the PGO Conference Room, Capitol Complex. Under the agreement, PGC UP-Mindanao and DOST XI obliged to capacitate the facility in accordance with the guidelines from the Department of Health (DOH). They are also to provide bio safety and molecular diagnostics training for its future facility personnel.

“We would like to thank everyone for being part of this project and I’m very proud to hold the province as one of our partners who came early in initiating this project. I hope this will be the beginning of a partnership that we’re going to strengthen further,” UP Mindanao Chancellor Larry N. Digal said.

“Kinahanglan jud ta mag establish ug atung kaugalingong testing laboratory aron magsilbi natu kining weapon to fight this unseen enemy because we cannot see them unless we test them, ug dili kita angay mabalaka kay aduna’y plano ang probinsya inubanan sa dakong tabang ug suporta sa atuang partners aron masuta ang risgadong dala sa COVID19,” Governor Tyron Uy in his statement.
To date, the province has eleven cumulative COVID19 cases--eight being current active cases, plus three recoveries.

There are only two accredited COVID-19 testing labs in Mindanao, the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City, and Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) in Tagum City. PLGU Davao de Oro aims to operationalize the testing lab by August, with its budget drawn from the Bayanihan Grant to the Provinces.

(Rheafe Hortizano, ID Davao de Oro)

How anxiety affects you

My column in Mindanao Daily, Businessweek Mindanao and Metro Cagayan de Oro Times

A drawn-out stressful situation can make simple tasks feel more difficult than they used to be. I experienced it myself since my German Consulate Office in Davao reopened. Both, my consulate clients and I got the same feelings.

Feel like you can’t concentrate on anything at the moment? You’re not alone. The extra anxiety caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has impaired our working memory, experts say. As writer and journalist, Kate Morgan stresses several days ago: we all know the feeling. You walk into a room with a mission and then stop, confused, and a little disjointed, realizing you have completely forgotten why you’re there.

Since the coronavirus’ spread began, almost all of us have been having that feeling of forgetting why I’m in another room dozens of times a day. We're finding it almost impossible to focus on anything at all. 

I can’t keep a phone number in my head long enough to dial it, and it takes forever to write a simple email. I start in on a task, and it’s only a few minutes before I’m distracted. My productivity has plummeted. Meanwhile, when at my home office alone, it's getting better step by step...

What was happening, is a malfunction of working memory: the ability to grasp incoming information, form it into a cohesive thought, and hold onto it long enough to do what you need to with it. “Think of it as the mental platform for our cognitive operations, for what we’re thinking now,” says Matti Laine, a professor of psychology at Åbo Akademi University in Finland. “Working memory is closely related to attention. You’re focusing on some task, some goal, some directive or behavior you want to get accomplished.”

In other words, working memory is the ability to reason in real-time, and it’s a big part of what makes the human brain so powerful. But research has shown that rapidly changing circumstances, worry, and anxiety can all have a significant impact on your ability to focus.

Rapidly-changing circumstances, worry, and anxiety can all have a significant impact on your ability to focus

“Long before the pandemic, we completed an online study with a large group of American adults who filled out self-assessment questionnaires,” says Laine. “We saw a trend of a negative relationship between anxiety and working memory. The higher the anxiety, the lower the working memory performance.” When you’re having an acute anxious experience – say, someone, threatening is walking behind you on your way home in the dark – it means you might have trouble recalling the details of their face. A drawn-out stressful situation can also ravage the working memory, making even the simplest tasks feel more difficult than they used to be.

“We’re talking about anxiety and stress that’s not acute,” says Laine. “It’s related to a deeply uncertain future. You don’t know – does it continue this summer, this autumn? Nobody knows. It’s leading us to a more chronic anxiety situation.”

New situations. New experiences. 

While collecting data for an as-yet-unpublished study on working memory training this spring, Laine says he and his team asked about 200 people from the UK and North America whether they had anxiety specifically linked to the pandemic.

Sustained anxiety can also cause insomnia, explains Oliver Robinson of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London. “Lack of sleep is a really good way of impairing working memory,” he says. “If you’re not sleeping as well, that’s a great way to wreck it.”

Even if you’re not explicitly aware of being more on edge, “it’s something you’re processing,” adds Robinson. Working memory problems might also be due in part to a cognitive load that’s overwhelming your brain’s capacity.

Ducking out to the shops used to be a mundane activity. Now with Covid-19, there are many more steps in the process that increase anxiety and mental load, wrote Kate Morgan. 

The good news is you can exercise working memory. There are lots of ‘brain games’ out there, but playing most of them, experts agree, doesn’t do anything except make you better at that game. “Cognitive training games don’t make me better at remembering my shopping list,” says Robinson. “That’s like trying to train people to play tennis by having them run.”

In other words, rebooting your working memory may also mean cutting down on your news consumption and considering a break from social media. But the most effective thing to do might simply be to convince yourself it’s OK to be struggling. That helped me a lot for several days....

Wichtige Hinweise der Deutschen Rentenversicherung (DRV)

Stand: April 2020 

Wichtige Hinweise der Deutschen Rentenversicherung (DRV) zu den Auswirkungen der Covid19- Pandemie auf die Ausstellung von Lebensbescheinigungen und Rentenzahlungen im Ausland

Bitte beachten Sie, dass die folgenden Hinweise unter Mitwirkung der DRV erstellt wurden und nur für deren Rentenzahlungen verbindlich sind. Bei Lebensbescheinigungen und Rentenzahlungen anderer Versorgungsträger (z.B. Versorgungswerke oder private Rentenversicherer) gibt es möglicherweise andere Regelungen, die im Einzelfall abzuklären und zu beachten wären.

1. Vereinfachtes Verfahren für Lebensbescheinigungen der DRV im Jahr 2020

Aufgrund der weltweiten Situation, in der Menschen aufgefordert sind, zu Hause zu bleiben und viele Behörden und Ämter ihren Kundenverkehr eingestellt oder stark eingeschränkt haben, möchte die DRV darauf hinweisen, dass es bei Lebensbescheinigungen für das Jahr 2020 für alle Rentenberechtigten im Ausland ein vereinfachtes Verfahren geben wird. Eine Bestätigung der Lebensbescheinigung durch eine Behörde / amtliche Stelle im jeweiligen Wohnsitzland wird nicht erforderlich sein. Die Rentenempfänger füllen die Lebensbescheinigungen selbst aus und senden diese direkt (ohne Bestätigung einer amtlichen Stelle) an die DRV zurück.

Die DRV wird die Rentenberechtigten unmittelbar im Anschreiben zur Lebensbescheinigung über dieses vereinfachte Verfahren informieren. Zudem werden auf den Internetseiten der Deutschen Post AG / Renten Service und der Deutschen Rentenversicherung entsprechende Hinweise zum vereinfachten Verfahren zur Verfügung gestellt, falls das Anschreiben mit dem Lebensbescheinigungs-Formular den Rentenberechtigten nicht erreicht haben sollte. 

2. Begutachtungen

Gegenwärtig werden keine ärztlichen Begutachtungen im Zusammenhang mit Anträgen auf Erwerbsminderungsrenten durchgeführt; dies betrifft auch Rentenverfahren mit Auslandsbezug. 

3. Beeinträchtigung der Postzustellung von Schecks in das Ausland

Im Hinblick darauf, dass Rentenempfänger ihre deutsche Rente unter anderem auch per Scheck (insbesondere USA und Kanada sowie Italien) erhalten, wird darauf hingewiesen, dass es aktuell sowohl beim internationalen Postverkehr als auch bei der lokalen Postzustellung zu Beeinträchtigungen und Verzögerungen kommen kann. Dies kann dazu führen, dass Rentenberechtigte den Scheck verspätet oder teilweise gar nicht zugestellt bekommen. Die DRV möchte daher rein vorsorglich auf die Möglichkeit einer Umstellung von Scheckzahlung auf Kontozahlung hinweisen.

Nähere Informationen bezüglich der Zahlungserklärung finden Rentenberechtigte auf der Internetseite des Deutsche Post - Renten Service: 

https://www.deutschepost.de/de/r/rentenservice/downloadcenter.html 

Bei möglichen Einschränkungen des Kundenverkehrs von Banken und Geldinstituten gelten folgende Erleichterungen, falls die Bank keine Bestätigung der Zahlungserklärung vornehmen sollte bzw. der Rentenberechtigte sein Geldinstitut derzeit nicht aufsuchen kann: Anstelle einer Bankbestätigung genügt auch ein aktueller Kontoauszug (nicht älter als 30 Tage), aus dem die Angaben zur Bankverbindung des Rentenberechtigten hervorgehen. Die Zahlungserklärung und evtl. der Kontoauszug mit den Angaben zur Bankverbindung können per Post/Fax/E-Mail an die Deutsche Post AG, Renten Service geschickt werden: 

Deutsche Post AG Niederlassung Renten Service 13496 Berlin Germany

 E-Mail: rentenservice@deutschepost.de 

Telefon: +49 221 5692-777 Fax: +49 221 5692-778

STAY ALERT DURING RAINY SEASON

Posted on June 17, 2020  by administrator

Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has advised Dabawenyos, especially those residing in danger-zones, to stay alert and vigilant against risks of disaster and diseases common during wet season.

Mayor Sara warned that calamities such as flooding and landslides can happen as the country enters the rainy season from June to December.“Ang dala sa ulan, number one – landslide, ikaduha – baha, lightning. Mag-ingat ta everytime na kusog ang ulan (The rainy season can cause number one – landslide, second – flood, lighting. Let’s be vigilant during heavy rains),” she advised.

The mayor said it is also the season when diseases affect people such as leptospirosis, dengue, and tetanus.“Usually dala aning ulan is ang mga sakit nga leptospirosis, mao na siya ang hugaw sa ilaga na naa sa floodwater. So dili ta basta-basta mulusong sa tubig baha because duna na siya’y dala na mga hugaw, mga kagaw. Dili lang ang leptospirosis, posible tang masamad and magkasakit ta og tetanus (Usually the rain brings diseases like leptospirosis which is a bacterial infection acquired from rats during flood. We should avoid floodwater because of the bacteria and germs in it. Aside from that, we can get wounds and get tetanus),” Mayor Sara stressed.

She also reminded the people to be aware of their surroundings as dengue can be widespread influenced by rainfall. Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection.“Paniguraduhon nato nga malabay nato ang mga nagpundo nga hugaw nga tubig kay posible ni siya nga mahimong balay sa mga lamok (Let’s ensure to throw away the dirty, stagnant water because mosquitos inhabit there),” she warned.She said that increase of cases like these (dengue, leptospirosis, tetanus) will add to the problem in the hospitals not being able to serve so many patients.“Kung mudaghan atong mga dengue cases, kung mudaghan atong mga leptospirosis, ang mga nasakit ug tetanus… tanan nga lain nga sakit, magdungan sila tanan sa hospital so mubalik na pud ta sa atoang problema nga dili na makakaya ang atoang hospital nga magcarry og mga tao nga dunay sakit (If our dengue, leptospirosis, tetanus cases, and all other diseases increase and patients overwhelm the hospital, we will go back again to our problem of hospitals not being able to cater everyone),” Mayor Sara said.

CIO

DDO goes digital for household profiling and assessment

After a series of launching for the digital innovations of the Davao de Oro farmers (DDO Bagsakan), Virtual Capitol for the on line services, Call DdOC for those who needs medical attention thru online for the out-patient in 4 hospitals of the province, this time the household survey will be fully digitalized.

Through KoboCollect-powered application for the Household Profiling and Needs Assessment (HNPA), it is an easy way to get data and information from the people of DDO. Using any mobile device with Koolbox Apps, the transmission of data online for validation is faster compare to manual data gathering.

The main purpose is to value the importance of establishing a concrete, accurate and reliable baseline data that provides a point of reference and serves as basis for the decision makers and development planners to come up with an evidence-based quality, doable and implementable plans, policies programs and projects to be prioritized in facing the COVID-19 crisis.

Through this way the government will get new, accurate and correct data in terms of health, demographics characteristics, building/house structural characteristics, climate change and disaster information, and accessibility and communication.

On June 10, 2020 the Provincial Household Profiling and Needs Assessment Committee (PHPNAC) of DDO kicks off its activities with the Households Enumeration and Geo-tagging. Trained teams went to Barangays Sao-sao, Conception, Nueva Visayas and Andili of the Municipality of Mawab for the ongoing survey.

"The provincial management acknowledges the importance of having a qualify data set that facilitates in understanding the general situation and specific characteristics of individual households and family or all households in the population of the province, whereby decision making and policy investments will be appropriately directed towards implementation of programs and projects that best serve to the people in need", part of the Executive Order 0039-2020 states.

This activity is set to be completed until November this year and shall be conducted in all municipalities of the province as part of steeping up data collection, and improving DDO through Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

(Rey Antibo, ID DDO)

Davao de Oro gives out food packs to displaced tourism workers

Davao de Oro --- A total of 228 displaced tourism workers received grocery food packs from the provincial government of Davao de Oro spearheaded by Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy to help withstand amidst the crisis brought by COVID-19 pandemic.

The affected workers were from 16 tourism establishments which were not included to COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) under Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Tourism establishments such as resorts, hotels, inns, travel agencies and restaurants were the first to hit the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and were closed for almost three months due to close-contact activities that may happen. The owners are at a great disadvantage and the employees are also the most affected.

The Provincial Tourism Office of Davao de Oro facilitated the application of 86 tourism establishments through DOLE's CAMP assistance whereas each employee receives Php 5,000 and only 70 of them are included in the program.

As a result, Governor Uy mobilized the release of food packs to the listed establishments as follows: Plates N'Cups, Lake Leonard Ecotourism, Beach View Resort, Tony's Beach Resort, Dayok Dayok Beach Resort, Comval Hotel, Rain and Angel Beach Resort, Einkorn Bakeshop, Leopard, Bundan, LS, Edison's Marie and Katrina's, Katrina's Grill, Pepito's Café and Countryside Café.

It is also a welcome blessing that within the new Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), the establishment can start again and operate under 50% operational capacity after obtaining the Certificate of Authority to Operate (CAO) by the Department of Tourism for accommodation establishments (AEs) and provisional permits for non-AEs issued BY the Mayor's Office.

Not even the dreaded virus can take away the “bayanihan” spirit of the people in the province of Davao de Oro, ensuring that no one will be left behind. (Rheafe Hortizano, ID Davao de Oro)

Davao de Oro receives Pro-ACT’s handwashing facilities and hygiene kits

Davao de Oro Province--- Highly recommended by professionals in the medical field, handwashing remains one of the best prevention against acquiring the COVID-19 infection. Handwashing is a simple form of habit that could save lives of many when properly done in homes, workplaces and institutions both private and public.

In partnership with Pro-ACT implemented by Action Against Hunger and Fundacion Codespa, a total of 15 (fifteen) units of hand-washing facilities was handed-over to the Provincial Government of Davao de Oro together with the 68 hygiene kits or the basic PPEs for the municipal and barangay responders.

These hand washing facilities and hygiene kits mitigates the possible transmission of any forms of disease-causing agents including COVID-19. Pro-ACT’s initiatives also includes the distribution of food packs to families with senior citizens and person with disabilities to some barangays in the municipalities of Maco, Mabini, Nabunturan and Pantukan reaching a total of 1,333 families covered.

In addition, Action Against Hunger and Fundacion CODESPA’s COVID-19 response focuses in the distribution of food items, hygiene kits and hand washing facilities as well as the provision of agricultural inputs to selected and pre-identified Farmer’s Association or Cooperatives allowing them to minimize agricultural production losses and at the same time ensuring their families’ livelihood amidst the emerging crisis.

(Jasteen Abella, ID DAVAO DE ORO)

Europas Grenzen öffnen sich wieder

Polen, Tschechien, Frankreich, Norwegen: Die wegen der Corona-Pandemie eingeführten Beschränkungen an innereuropäischen Grenzen fallen nach und nach weg. Die "günstige Entwicklung" macht's möglich.

Polen öffnet seine Grenzen zu EU-Ländern (picture-alliance/dpa/S. Sauer)
Seit 13. Juni 2020, 0 Uhr, wieder offen: die deutsch-polnische Grenze

Nach knapp drei Monaten hat Polen seine Grenzen zu allen EU-Nachbarländern wieder geöffnet. Bereits am Freitag waren die Beschränkungen an der Grenze zu Litauen weggefallen - am frühen Samstagmorgen dann auch an den Grenzen zu Deutschland, Tschechien und zur Slowakei.

Für Nicht-EU-Staaten gilt die Regelung vorerst nicht, weil nach Ansicht der polnischen Regierung in einigen Staaten insbesondere in Lateinamerika und Nordamerika die Lage immer noch besorgniserregend ist. Auch Kontrollen an Polens Grenzen zur Ukraine, Weißrussland und zur russischen Exklave Kaliningrad (Königsberg) bleiben erhalten.

Frankreich hebt die Beschränkungen an seinen Grenzen für EU-Reisende am 15. Juni weitgehend auf. Dies geschehe in Übereinstimmung mit den Empfehlungen der Europäischen Kommission, teilten das Innen- und das Außenministerium in Paris mit. Menschen aus den Mitgliedsstaaten der EU sowie aus Andorra, Island, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norwegen, San Marino, der Schweiz und dem Vatikan dürfen dann wieder ungehindert einreisen. Ausnahmen gelten weiterhin für Spanien und Großbritannien - einschließlich einer zweiwöchigen Quarantänepflicht für Einreisende, die in beiden Ländern ebenfalls besteht.

Frankreich Carling, Grenze zu Deutschland | Coronavirus | Baguette-Übergabe (Getty Images/AFP/J.C. Verhaegen)

Wird nächste Woche abgebaut: Absperrung an der deutsch-französischen Grenze

Seine Grenzen zu Ländern außerhalb des Schengen-Raums will Frankreich ab dem 1. Juli schrittweise öffnen. Der Zeitpunkt der Öffnung werde "je nach Gesundheitslage in den verschiedenen Drittstaaten" variieren und den Vereinbarungen entsprechen, "die bis dahin auf europäischer Ebene beschlossen worden sein werden".

Auch Tschechien öffnet seine Grenzen ab Montag für Bürger fast aller EU-Staaten, der Schweiz und aus Liechtenstein. Ermöglicht werde dies durch die günstige epidemiologische Entwicklung, teilte das Gesundheitsministerium in Prag mit. Die wegen der Pandemie eingeführten Grenzkontrollen zu Deutschland und Österreich waren bereits vor einer Woche  aufgehoben worden.

Bestehen bleibt das tschechische Einreiseverbot indes für Reisende mit Wohnsitz in Belgien, Portugal, Großbritannien, Schweden sowie der polnischen Woiwodschaft Schlesien. Diese Territorien gelten nach Ansicht der Behörden als Risikogebiete für eine Coronavirus-Infektion.

Norwegen will am Montag die Grenzen zu fast allen Nachbarländern ebenfalls wieder öffnen, wie die Regierung des Schengenstaates in Oslo bekanntgab. Reisende könnten von Dänemark, Finnland und Island problemlos nach Norwegen kommen - bei Schweden gebe es regionale Regelungen: Vorerst dürften nur Besucher von der Insel Gotland einreisen, weil in den anderen Regionen Schwedens das Infektionsniveau noch nicht "akzeptabel" sei.

wa/fw (dpa, afp, rtr)

THE BEAUTY OF NATURE

In times with Covid-19, more and more friends of mine are enjoying to share beautiful places of Mindanao. Their posts on Facebook have been paired with the desire to going there if the coronavirus is gone. Then we might be free. We might be allowed to go wherever we want to go. Meanwhile, I shared the same desire and dreams with them too.

If you talk about the beauty of nature, automatically creation sings God's praise. Psalm 104 shows appreciation for every aspect of nature, even creatures like wild goats, lions, and others. The Israelites, as herders and farmers, had no romantic idealization of the outdoors. Nobody who herds sheep thinks of them as soft and fluffy pets. But to the poet who wrote Psalm 104, creatures that are no "use" to anyone still have intrinsic worth - especially to God.

The intertwining of nature is not, for the psalmist, like a complex machine, dangerously sensitive. Things fit together because a personal God watches over them. Every breath of life depends on His will.

Modern people nowadays are often preoccupied with the fear of overcrowding and poisoning nature. This might happen again if we are leaving free after the coronavirus lockdown has been lifted. The psalms show not such fear, for overcrowding and pollution were not major problems in that preindustrial civilization. Yet interestingly enough, the psalm ends with a wish that God would clean up the earth. The beauty of the earth, made by God, calls out for purity - purity of the heart.

If we will be "free" soon and able to discover our surroundings, we should ask ourselves, how does nature affect us. And, even more important: how do we affect nature?

Philippines benefits from new German aid protecting agriculture and food security

Germany just granted new assistance (around EUR 3 million or Php 165 million) to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The money is for a project benefitting also the Philippines: “Scaling-up Early Warning Early Action (EWEA) for agriculture and food security”.

The Embassy is pleased to inform about this new financial support in times of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It underlines that German support for the Philippines continues in times of crisis, and it shows that German aid looks beyond the immediate needs into the wider future.

Said initiative follows a new, forward-looking approach to humanitarian assistance. It supports high risk countries in Africa, Central Asia and the Philippines which are considered vulnerable to natural hazards and conflict. The project aims to protect agricultural livelihoods and food security of vulnerable households by acting before a disaster strikes. Therefore it reduces humanitarian needs, preventing the deterioration of food security and strengthening resilience.
In order to link early warning to early actions that can lessen the impact of a disaster, partner countries will be supported in their risk analysis, activation and implementation process among others.

#germanyinphl #botschaftMNL #humanitarianassistance #agriculture #FAO #EWEA

4TH ROUND OF FOOD AID TO ‘PIPS’

DAVAO CITY COMPLETES 4TH ROUND OF FOOD AID TO ‘PIPS’

Posted on June 9, 2020  by administrator

The Davao City government has completed the fourth round of the food distribution to the Women/People in Prostitution (PIP) whose source of income is also affected by the movement restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.

Gina A. Molon, in-charge of the food assistance and the Officer-in-Charge of the Pre-schooler and Children’s Concern Division (PSCCD) of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), said CSWDO has reached out to a total of 323 PIPs in the areas of San Pedro, Legaspi, Anda, Claveria, and Tiongco. Together with the food assistance, CSWDO also distributed hotline number cards in case they would need psychosocial assistance.

Molon said CSWDO has identified these beneficiaries previously because they are already clients of the city government’s different programs, advocacies, and livelihood assistance.

“Ato na man gyud na sila’ng kleyente. In fact, na-organize na nato sila. Naa ta’y organizations sa mga People in Prostitution (They are already our clients. In fact, we have organized them, we have organization for the People in Prostitution),” Molon said.

She added that aside from the livelihood assistance their children are also beneficiaries of the city’s educational program.“Beneficiary nato na sila sa atong mga livelihood ug sa atong educational assistance sa ilang mga kabataan (They are beneficiaries of our livelihood and the educational assistance for their children),” she noted. CIO

DAVAO CITY FIRM VS. GCQ VIOLATIONS

Posted on June 11, 2020  by administrator


The Davao City government has filed charges against over 200 persons who have violated the protocols of the community quarantine.Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Angel Sumagaysay said that 90 cases had already been filed in court against 277 violators for defying the rules on curfew, liquor ban, and social gathering.

Sumagaysay said that on the other hand, 145 cases had also been filed out of the 329 apprehensions for violations of the Food and Medicine Pass (FM Pass).Other cases are yet to be filed as these will be done through regular filing while other apprehended suspects are minors.

“We just have to follow the protocols, especially on the social distancing and wearing of mask,” he said. Sumagaysay said the protocols are being strictly implemented to prevent the further spread of the virus.The city has registered a total of 321 cases since the outbreak started. Of the figure, 192 have recovered but 30 have died.

Currently, 99 cases remain active. Sumagaysay also commended the police authorities for doing their job and ensure that the protocols are strictly implemented. “We are commending the security sector, particularly the Davao City Police Office for continued implementation of GCQ guidelines. We hope that Dabawenyos would cooperate and adhere to the guidelines (because) after all, this is for the good of our community,” he said.

By: CIO
Categorized in COVID-19, Peace and Order

Bundesregierung verlängert generelle Reisewarnung außerhalb Europas

Erneut hat das Kabinett über den Fortgang der Reisebeschränkungen entschieden: Innerhalb Europas sollen die Grenzkontrollen so schnell wie möglich fallen, außerhalb bleibt es bei der Reisewarnung, mindestens bis Ende August. Tourismus- und Luftfahrtbranche fordern mehr Differenzierung.

Heiko Maas
© stock.adobe.com / REUTERS / FABRIZIO BENSCH

Die Bundesregierung hat die Reisewarnung für mehr als 160 Länder außerhalb der Europäischen Union bis zum 31. August verlängert. Das hat das Bundeskabinett heute beschlossen.

Das Eckpunktepapier des Kabinetts sieht vor, dass das Pandemiegeschehen weltweit weiter beobachtet wird. Ausnahmen können für einzelne Länder gemacht werden, erläuterte Bundesaußenminister Heiko Maas (SPD). Voraussetzung sei, dass die Verbreitung des Virus ausreichend eingedämmt sei.

Anders als bei den europäischen Nachbarn gebe es für den Rest der Welt "noch nicht die gemeinsamen belastbaren Datengrundlagen, Kriterien und Abstimmungsprozesse, die einen uneingeschränkten Reiseverkehr ohne unkalkulierbare Risiken wieder möglich machen", so Maas. 

Maas weiter: 

"Die Bundesregierung hat heute entschieden, dass die weltweite Reisewarnung für alle Länder außer den Mitgliedsstaaten der Europäischen Union, den Schengen-assoziierten Staaten und dem Vereinigten Königreich vorerst bis einschließlich dem 31. August weiter gilt. Anders als bei unseren europäischen Nachbarn haben wir für den Rest der Welt heute noch nicht die gemeinsamen belastbaren Datengrundlagen, Kriterien und Abstimmungsprozesse, die einen uneingeschränkten Reiseverkehr ohne unkalkulierbare Risiken wieder möglich machen. 

Gleichzeitig ist uns sehr bewusst, dass viele Bürgerinnen und Bürger so schnell wie möglich auch außerhalb Europas wieder reisen möchten. Das betrifft Urlaubsziele in der Türkei und in Nordafrika aber auch Südostasien und Amerika. Ab wann solche Reisen auch zu touristischen Zwecken wieder vertretbar sind, wird vom Verlauf der Pandemie abhängen.

Wir werden deshalb die Reisewarnung auch vor September immer wieder auf den Prüfstand stellen, immer mit der Sicherheit der Reisenden als zentralem Kriterium. Dort - und nur dort - wo das Gesamtpaket aus positiver Pandemieentwicklung, einem stabilen Gesundheitssystem, stimmigen Sicherheitsmaßnahmen für den Tourismus und verlässlichen Hin- und auch Rückreisemöglichkeiten das zulässt, können wir möglicherweise schon früher von einer Reisewarnung zu Reisehinweisen zurückkehren.

Klar ist dabei aber auch: eine Aufhebung der Reisewarnung muss in das Gesamtbild passen. Solange pandemiebedingt Einreiseverbote aus Drittstaaten in die Europäische Union bestehen, wäre es nicht vermittelbar, wenn dort schon wieder zu Tausenden europäische Touristen unterwegs sind."

Foreign Minister Maas on the Cabinet decision concerning the extension of the worldwide travel warning until 31 August

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas issued the following statement today (10 June) on the decision by the Cabinet to extend until 31 August 2020 the warning against non-essential travel abroad for tourist purposes to all countries with the exception of the member states of the European Union, the countries associated with Schengen and the UK:

logo The German Government decided today that the worldwide travel warning for all countries except the member states of the European Union, the countries associated with Schengen and the UK will remain in place until 31 August. In contrast to our European neighbours, we do not yet have shared reliable data sources, criteria and coordination processes for the rest of the world which would make unrestricted travel possible again without incalculable risks. We can and will not risk Germans being stranded around the world again this summer or holidaymakers unsuspectingly bringing the virus back to Germany.

At the same time, we are very aware that many people would also like to travel outside Europe again as soon as possible. That applies to holiday destinations in Turkey and in North Africa, as well as South-East Asia and America. At what point such trips, also for tourist purposes, will be advisable again will depend on how the pandemic develops.

We will therefore review the travel warning on a regular basis before September and travellers’ safety will always be the central criterion. Where – and only where – the pandemic is developing positively, there is a stable healthcare system, appropriate safety measures for tourism are in place and both outward and return travel is assured, can we possibly revert at an earlier date from travel warnings to travel advisories.

However, it is clear that lifting the travel warning must fit into the overall picture. As long as there are pandemic-related bans on entries from third states to the European Union, it would be hard to justify thousands of European tourists travelling to those countries.

Reisewarnung fast für gesamten Schengenraum aufgehoben

Aufgehoben wird dagegen die Reisewarnung für die Länder in der Europäischen Union. Das selbe gilt für das gerade aus der EU ausgetretene Großbritannien sowie einzelne Staaten des grenzkontrollfreien Schengenraums, die nicht Mitglied in der EU sind: Island, die Schweiz und Liechtenstein. Die Aufhebung gilt ab 15. Juni.

Einzig Spanien und Norwegen sind von den Lockerungen aktuell noch ausgenommen - wegen noch bestehender Einreisesperren für Deutsche dort. Generell gilt aber bei allen europäischen Ländern: Sollten bestimmte Parameter in einem Land festgelegte Grenzwerte überschreiten, können auch wieder einzelne Reisewarnungen ausgesprochen werden.

Bundespolizei beendet innereuropäische Grenzkontrollen

Gleichzeitig beendet Deutschland zum 15. Juni die aufgrund der Corona-Krise eingeführten Binnengrenzkontrollen zu vier Ländern. Reisende aus Österreich, der Schweiz, Frankreich und Dänemark können dann wieder ungehindert nach Deutschland einreisen.

Bundesinnenminister Horst Seehofer (CSU) erläuterte im Anschluss an die Kabinettssitzung, dass mit dem Ende der Grenzkontrollen die Freizügigkeit innerhalb der Union wieder hergestellt werde. Das Innenministerium werde die Bundespolizei anweisen, die Kontrollen bis dahin schrittweise zurückzufahren.

Seehofer äußerte zugleich die Erwartung, dass bis Ende Juni alle Reisebeschränkungen innerhalb der EU aufgehoben werden. Zu Norwegen und Spanien sagte der Minister: "Wir handeln da gleichberechtigt", sagte Seehofer. Betroffen davon sei vor allem der Luftverkehr.

"Wirtschaftliche Erholung gefährdet"

Der Deutsche Reiseverband (DRV) kritisiert die Verlängerung der generellen Reisewarnungen für Ziele außerhalb Europas. Es brauche einen differenzierteren Ansatz, um die wirtschaftliche Erholung und die Wiederaufnahme von Handel und Tourismus nicht zu gefährden.

"Das Auswärtige Amt macht es sich mit der weltweiten Reisewarnung zu leicht. Die Pandemie klingt in sehr vielen Ländern der Welt ab. Entsprechend stellt sich das Infektionsgeschehen in den rund 160 Ländern, auf die sich die Reisewarnung bezieht, sehr unterschiedlich dar. Man soll und kann sie daher nicht alle über einen Kamm scheren", sagte DRV-Präsident Norbert Fiebig.

Man nehme zur Kenntnis, dass das Auswärtige Amt eine zweite Rückholaktion ausschließen wolle, daran dürfte die Aufhebung der Reisewarnungen jedoch nicht scheitern. "Im Fall der Fälle sorgen die deutschen Reiseveranstalter wie bisher auch dafür, dass die Gäste – sofern notwendig – vorzeitig und sicher nach Hause kommen. Die Rückholgarantie ist bei uns also inklusive – übrigens ohne Mehrkosten" so Fiebig mit Blick auf Pauschalreisen.

Auch der Flughafenverband ADV ist der Meinung, dass differenzierte Reisewarnungen schneller kommen sollten. Reisen zwischen Deutschland und Nicht-EU-Staaten sollten möglich sein, sofern das Infektionsgeschehen und die gesundheitlichen Bedingungen dies hergeben würden.

Den Wegfall der Grenzkontrollen innerhalb Europas begrüßt die ADV. Die schnelle Öffnung des Reiseverkehrs mit klaren, in einem Leitfaden definierten Sicherheitsstandards sei Anliegen der Flughäfen. "Je länger die Krise dauert, desto mehr Existenzen stehen auf dem Spiel", teilte der Verband mit.

Reisewarnung für mehr als 160 Länder bis Ende August!

By dpa

Reisen im Corona-Sommer bleibt eine komplizierte und unsichere Angelegenheit: Die Bundesregierung will die Reisewarnung für mehr als 160 Länder außerhalb der Europäischen Union bis zum 31. August verlängern.

Nach Informationen der Deutschen Presse-Agentur sollen jedoch Ausnahmen für einzelne Länder gemacht werden können, die bestimmte Kriterien erfüllen.

Laut der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters einigten sich Auswärtiges Amt und Innenministerium zudem darauf, von Kreuzfahrten weiter dringend abzuraten. Das Bundeskabinett solle der Regelung am Mittwoch zustimmen.

Zu den betroffenen Ländern außerhalb der Europäischen Union zählen auch Hauptreiseländer, allen voran die Türkei als drittbeliebtestes Urlaubsland der Deutschen.

► In der Bundesregierung wird Reuters zufolge darauf verwiesen, dass die Lage in vielen Staaten weltweit völlig unterschiedlich sei. Dies betreffe sowohl die Corona-Infektionszahlen, Hygieneregeln, Testkapazitäten, die Transparenz über das Infektionsgeschehen in verschiedenen Landesteilen als auch die Kapazitäten des Gesundheitssystems und Möglichkeiten der Rückreise. Deshalb soll nach dem 1. Juli individuell geprüft werden, für welche Staaten die Reisewarnung aufgehoben werden kann.

Vergangenen Freitag hatte die Europäische Union beschlossen, ab Juli die Reisebeschränkungen für Länder außerhalb der Staaten-Gemeinschaft schrittweise abzubauen.

STAY AT HOME

My column in Mindanao Daily, BusinessWeek Mindanao and Metro Cagayan de Oro Times

During corona times ‘Stay at home’ is a simple message, but as countries (Philippines not yet!) open up with social distancing guidelines, there’s more room for interpretation – especially among friends.

When people in Europe (even in my home country Germany)  were finally allowed to meet with up to 10 friends after eight weeks in lockdown, some couldn’t wait to gather over beers back at their favourite bar terrace, or host a dinner at their apartment. But others were unsure about how to socialise, and some even found themselves judging the different behaviours of people in their network.

Some of my German friends, who are all in their 30s or early 40s, are nervous about how flippantly one member of their group has been taking the risks of the virus. They told me by emails that it felt “too annoying” to wear a mask in the supermarket despite these being mandatory in other European countries. It is a transition phase.... and, certainly, people are starting to look at each other with a bit more suspicion. How about in the Philippines?

Of course, some people have small parties and get-togethers where all guidelines have gone out the window. So what's social distancing all  about?

In my opinion, it's difficult to talk to those who have broken guidelines, and ended up leaving sarcastic comments on one girl’s Snapchat, which caused her to remove him from her private story feed. Although they weren’t close, I don’t think they’ll talk going forward.

Why do we have different boundaries?

Dr.  Kate Hamilton-West, a health psychologist at the University of Kent in England, argues that whereas most people easily understood the message that “you must stay at home if that is possible” during lockdowns, it is “human nature” that more varied types of behaviours and responses will emerge if governments and institutions give people more choice.

This is partly because different personality types can be generally more or less risk-averse, or have contrasting value preferences. “Protecting others, for example, is something that people will value to different degrees... for some people, that might be less important to them than things like, for example, having autonomy over your own decision-making.”

In Sweden, which never had a lockdown, researchers from Lund University found that the strongest indicator of how likely people were to follow voluntary recommendations was their willingness to adapt their actions for the benefit of others. They measured this kind of responsible “pro-social” behaviour through surveys and game-based experiments, focused on how much they would put others at risk in order to win more money for themselves. Being pro-social was a predictor for following physical distancing and hygiene measures, buying a cloth face mask and seeking out health information about Covid-19.

"People are acting like for them, the pandemic is over,” says Gravin Wolfe van Dernoot, a student in the US state of Colorado. And several political leaders and governments all over the world too ... !

Philippines: Church warns against 'holy alcohol' for COVID-19

Churchgoers in the Philippines have been urged not to fall for products advertised as being "holy" to protect themselves from COVID-19. Besides alcohol, church leaders said there's "no such thing" as a holy face mask.   

The Catholic Church in the Philippines warned against buying "holy alcohol" and other products claiming to protect against the coronavirus.

"There is no sacramental holy alcohol that we should make the sign of the cross with when we rub it to ourselves," the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said in a statement on Monday. "Moreover, it should not be sprinkled on the faithful."

They likewise warned that there is "no such things" as holy face masks, holy face shields, holy hand sanitizer and holy personal protective equipment.

"This is an irreverent marketing strategy or gimmick," the statement added.

They issued the warning after an archdiocese outside of the capital Manila flagged "fake news" reports about the church replacing holy water with "holy alcohol," news agency DPA reported.

The CBCP said that many churches emptied their holy water fonts in recent months to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but that the holy water had not been replaced with rubbing alcohol.

Churches across the predominantly Catholic country were closed for months due to the COVID-19 lockdown, although some restrictions have eased starting in June. 

Some Catholic churches reopened to worshippers over the weekend, although the number of people allowed to attend mass is limited.

In Manila where the number of COVID-19 cases is higher, only 10 people are allowed to attend a mass at a time. In other areas of the country, churches are allowed to have up to 50% of their seating capacity, DPA reported.

The country has logged 22,474 COVID-19 cases so far as well as 1,011 deaths.

(C) by DW 2020

Cebu Pacific: One flight at a time

Gradual flight restart to 20 destinations 

 

Our teams are working in an agile manner to gradually rebuild our flight network. From June 8 to 30, we plan to mount flights to 20 domestic destinations. International flights remain suspended until June 30. This is a developing situation, and we continue to work with the Inter-Agency Task Force, local government units and other government authorities. 

Flight Schedule – June 8 to 30, 2020

​​​​​Flight Schedule – June 8 to 30, 2020

As of June 6, 2020; 8:00pm​

As part of the gradual rebuilding of our domestic route network, Cebu Pacific and Cebgo plan to mount the following domestic flights to 20 destinations, from June 8 to 30, 2020: 

Route/s

Period covered

Manila-Dipolog-Manila

June 8-30

Manila-Pagadian-Manila

June 8-30

Manila-Zamboanga-Manila

June 8-30

Manila-Masbate-Manila

June 9-30

Manila-Tablas-Manila

June 10-30

Manila-Davao-Manila

June 10-30

Cebu-Clark-Cebu

June 10-30

Manila-Bacolod-Manila

June 16-30

Manila-Cotabato-Manila

June 16-30

Manila-Dumaguete-Manila

June 16-30

Manila-Iloilo-Manila

June 16-30

Manila- Boracay (Caticlan)-Manila

June 16-30

Manila-Roxas-Manila

June 16-30

Manila-Tacloban-Manila

June 16-30

Manila-Bohol-Manila

June 16-30

Manila-Coron (Busuanga)-Manila

June 16-30

Cebu-Davao-Cebu

June 16-30

        

   These routes are on top of flights that have already restarted this week:

 

Route

Manila-Naga-Manila

Manila-Cebu-Manila

Manila-Cagayan de Oro-Manila

 

Flight details as well as bookings are through the website, www.cebupacificair.com.  For added flexibility, new bookings include CEB Flexi for free. This allows passengers to rebook their flights up to two times, giving peace of mind and ease to move travel dates.  Meanwhile, for passengers with existing bookings, they may rebook to any of the above-mentioned flights through the “Manage Booking” page on the website, http://bit.ly/CEBmanageflight. 

 

This is a developing situation and we will have an agile approach to rebuilding our network schedule. It may be necessary for us to add or cancel flights at last minute given the fluidity of restrictions and directives from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), the Local Government Units (LGU) and other concerned government agencies.   

 

We will provide updates through our website and official social media accounts and endeavor to inform our passengers in a timely manner.  

 

We strongly urge passengers to check guidelines of the IATF, or with the LGU of origin and destination. Passengers may be asked to present proof of purpose of travel and other requirements upon entering the airport or at arrival at the destination.  

 

CEB has implemented new flexibility policies to give passengers peace of mind in the event their flights are cancelled. They have the following options:  

 

1.       Free rebooking      

Rebook to any other travel date within three (3) months. Change (rebooking) fees and fare difference are waived.      

 

   2.       Full Travel Fund      

Place the full cost of the ticket in a Travel Fund valid for one (1) year. Use the Travel Fund within one (1) year—either book a flight up to one (1) year ahead, or pay for add-ons (e.g. baggage allowance, seat selection, etc.)      

 

If the Travel Fund is not used within one (1) year, passengers can apply for a full refund.     

 

   3.       Full refund     

Processing of refunds will start after the Community Quarantine is lifted and regular work schedules resume. However, due to the unprecedented volume of requests for refunds, the process will take as long as three (3) to four (4) billing cycles.     

 

All Cebu Pacific passengers can manage their bookings online (http://bit.ly/CEBmanageflight) 

 

For more information, frequently asked questions may be found here:  http://bit.ly/CEBRestartFAQs 

Flexible flights so you can easily manage bookings online ...

 

New bookings now come with FREE CEB Flexi. With this free add-on, you can rebook flights up to two times, giving peace of mind and flexibility to move travel dates. Meanwhile, guests with existing bookings may rebook or use their travel funds to easily book flights through our website. 

Travel with peace of mind with our increased safety measures. 

 

The safety of our guests and teams remains our top priority. We've rolled out Contactless Flight guidelines, and additional safety measures such as daily extensive cleaning of aircraft and rapid antibody testing for frontliners and crew. These are based on global best practices, and adhere to the highest safety standards. 

We wish you and your family well. Let’s all work together, so #EveryJuanWillFlyAgain. 

On behalf of the entire Cebu Pacific family, 

Candice Iyog 

Vice President 

Marketing and Customer Experience 

Bye bye Marco Polo Hotel Davao City

Thank you so much Marco Polo Hotel MarcoPolo Davao, GenMan Colin Owen Healy, Ma'am Ariane Cabrera, Ma-am Pearl Peralta-Maclang and the whole staff. I experienced wonderful and unique moments here. Praying for meeting you all again very soon. God bless you more ☺️🙏

Davao de Oro releases Farm Inputs to Local Farmers

Davao de Oro Province---Ensuring food security amidst the global crisis, the Provincial Government of Davao de Oro releases farm inputs to local farmers for early planting on rice production.

Having a responsive and proactive approach in governance, PLGU Davao de Oro established practical agricultural solutions and actions to address the possible derangement of food supply in the province.

Branching of from the “Food Security Plan of Davao de Oro for COVID-19 Health Emergency Situation”, the QTA or “Quick Turn Around Project for Rice Production” amounting to Php 5, 934,000 is one of the strategies adopted to forfend shortage of food supply in the province.

The QTA project is an early planting using high yielding hybrid and inbred rice seeds in an area covered by the National and Communal irrigation systems. Its main objectives are to produce additional rice supply avoiding shortage for the upcoming months and sustain food security in the province.

Collaborating agencies for the project were PLGU Davao de Oro, Department of Agriculture, NIA (National Irrigation Administration), PCIC (Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation) and the Municipal Local Government Units.

Interventions includes fuel for land preparation, synthetic and Bio-N fertilizers, pesticides and rice seeds.

“Dako gyud kaayo ni ug tabang sa amua. Dili nami magproblema ug semilya ug mudugang nalang mi ug gamay. Dili nami kinahanglan mupalit ug abono ug insecticide, unya dako kaayo mi ug na-save. Mas gaan gyud karun ang pag-panguma sa mga farmers tungod sa tabang sa gobyerno.” said Gina Callos, a beneficiary of the QTA.

Target of the QTA Project is to cater 1, 000 hectares of rice fields owned by a total of 727 farmers from five out of eleven municipalities of Davao de Oro. (Jasteen Abella, ID DAVAO DE ORO)