PHOTO: AP

PHOTO: AP

PHOTO: AP

The panel of voters: Jeff Babineau, Morning Read; Michael Bamberger, golf.com; Mark Cannizzaro, New York Post; Iain Carter, BBC; Steve DiMeglio, USA Today; Doug Ferguson, Associated Press; Bob Harig, espn.com; Rex Hoggard, golfchannel.com; Derek Lawrenson, The Daily Mail; Tod Leonard, golfdigest.com; Jim Litke, Associated Press; Jim McCabe, pgatour.com; Bill Pennington, New York Times: Dave Shedloski, golfdigest.com; John Strege, golfdigest.com.

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PHOTO: AP

No one knows what will be thrown at the NBA or the rest of the sports world. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventi??on advising against large gatherings make the calendar a major factor in how the league?? could resume its season.

PHOTO: AP

PHOTO: AP

PHOTO: AP

AP freelance writer Ian Harrison contributed to this report.

Fajardo, who received his MVP trophy while on a motorized wheelchair after fracturing his right tibia in preseason practice that wil??l likely keep him out for the entire upcoming season, won six MVPs in a row right after losing out to Calvin Abueva, then with Alaska, for Rookie of the Year honors in 2013.

The 6-10 Cebuano is now two MVP trophies clear of Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio who?? previously had the most number of MVP awards in the league with four apiece.

There are already those who have already proclaimed Fajardo as the PBA’s GOAT, or greatest ??of all-time, because of his six MVPs.

But is the numb??er of MVP awards the sole basis for being named the GOAT?

PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

If that’s the case, why is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar hardly popular in current NBA GOAT conversations among fans and in media despite his league-most six MVPs? Michael Jordan, Lebron James and the late K??obe Bryant are always the ones being mentioned in social media GOAT debates.

Is Fajardo’s eight-championship total with the Beermen, inclusive of?? the last five Philippine Cup titles, part of the equation as well for PBA GOAT considerations?

If that’s the case, then Fajardo’s total will pale in comparison right now to Fernandez’s 19, although the former’s career is?n’t over yet.

In the NBA, Bill Russell has the most number of championships won of all time among players but he, too, is rarely m??entioned in GOAT discussions.

Career statistics-wise, will Fajardo be able to catch up with the likes of Fernandez, Abet Guidaben, Benjie Paras and Jerry Codinera, among t?he many PBA legendary centers, in terms of scoring, rebounding and shotblocks, among others?

Right now, Fernandez, who played 20 seasons in the PBA, is No. 1 in the league’s all-time list in scoring (18,996), rebounding (8,652) and shotblocks (1,853) and No. 2 in assists (5,220, behind Sonny Jawor??ski’s 5,825) and  steals (1,302, behind Johnny Abarrientos’ 1,358).

I guess we’ll never know until Fajardo’s playing career is over, ri????ght?

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But maybe we can?? take a peek at the answer by comparing Fajardo’s numbers with those of the other legendary centers in PBA history who have won multiple MVP awards after their first seven seasons in the league.

Aside from Fernandez, who won each of his MVP awards with d??ifferent teams (Toyota in 1982, Beer Hausen in 1984, Tanduay in 1986 and San Miguel Beer in 198?8), other centers who won at least two MVPs in their PBA careers were Guidaben (two; with Crispa in 1983 and San Miguel Beer in 1987),  Paras (two; 1989 & 1999 with Shell; the only Rookie of the Year & MVP winner ever which he did in 1989) and Danny Ildefonso (2 with San Miguel Beer in 2000 and 2001).

Here are their comparative numbers and awards won through their first se?ven PBA seasons:

Some notes we can infe?r from these nu?mbers, or others worth noting:

* Fajardo’s 12.2 career rebounding average is actually No. 1 all-time among all local players to date, which should ??bode well if he intends to catch up with Fernandez’s numbers in that category.

* Fajardo has the worst free-throw shooting percentage among these 5 bigs in their first 7 seasons, which may be something h??e may want to improve on moving forward, and specially since he will likely continue?? to be among the most fouled players in the PBA for a long time, well unless he improves his foul-shooting.

* Even at 6-10, Fajardo’s shotblocking prowess pales in comparison to those of the 6-5?? Paras’ and the 6-4 Fernandez’s, numbers-wise.

* Ildefonso’s 5 BPC awards is three less than Fajardo’s total but Danny I won his 5 consecuti??vely - from the 2000 Commissioner’s Cup up to the end of the 2001 season.

* Guidaben never won an MVP nor was on the Mythical Team in his first seven seasons in the PBA and had the lowest across-the-board averages compared to the four other players ?but won the most number of championships in that span, all with Crispa.

If he isn’t yet, will June Mar be eventua?lly the PBA’s GOAT by the time he hangs up his sneak??ers?

Is this the ma??ss testing that many have bee??n clamoring for?

In a way, yes. But infectious disease specialist Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvaña prefers to call it “massive testing”. , “To clarify, the goal is to? test everyone who needs a test[.] [T]his includes close contacts of known cases and some sampling in ?the community.”

He continued: “This is not mass ??testing but massive testing to test everyone who needs it. Testing ?people who don't need the test is a waste and can lead to misleading data, given the limitations of testing accuracy.”

With more wide-scale testing rolling out,?? here’s our explainer on how, exactly, COVID-19 tests work. Hopefully, it will clear up a lot of questions and terms floating around now that widespread testing is being rolled out.

Warning: science words ahead!

PHOTO: AP

First, let’s get some terms clear.

Viruses and diseases often have different names. For example, AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the disease. The v?irus that causes it? HIV.

The respiratory disease that is currently raging around the world is called COVID-19. The virus that causes it has been named SARS-CoV-2. It is part of a family of viruses called the coronavirus, which include viruses that cause SARS and MERS. Early on in the start of its worldwide spread, SARS-CoV-2 was called the novel coronavirus (because it was a new form of coronavirus) or nCoV for short. 

In ??this article, we’ll occasionally use the words? coronavirus or novel coronavirus to refer to SARS-CoV-2.

PHOTO: AP

So how do we test for SARS-CoV-2?

In the battle?? against COVID-19, there are two kinds of tests that are being deployed. 

One looks for the genetic material or protein evidence of the actual virus. The other ki?nd of test looks for antibodies in your system that are fighting against SARS-CoV-2. 

Let’s first talk about the first kind of tests.

The main methodology for checking for genetic material of the virus is the polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test. A quantitative reverse transcriptase-based PCR test (or RT-PCR, for short) remains the “gold standard in determining whether a person is infected or infectious,” according to a DOH circ??ular dated March 31.

As of April 3, the Philippine Food and Drug Administration has approved 21 RT-PCR tests for use in the country — including the? o??ne locally developed by the University of the Philippines and manufactured by Manila Healthtek Inc.

How does RT-PCR work?

Basically, RT-PCR tests look for genetic evidence of the virus in a given sample. A patient is ??swabbed in the nose and throat (since COVID-19 is a respiratory disease), and this swab is brought to a central testing laboratory. 

Because the novel coronavirus i?s made up of a single s??trand of genetic material called RNA, it needs to be converted into double-stranded DNA so that it can be “copied” for further analysis. Scientists use a well-known process called reverse transcription to do this. So they extract RNA from a sample, then use an enzyme to reverse-transcribe it to DNA. 

The RT-PCR machine then essentially acts like a genetic xerox machine, churning out billions of copies of the DNA sample. The “amount” of the virus is then measured using a fluorescent dye.?? If the fluorescence goes above a certain level, then it’s a hit, and the presence of the virus is confirmed in the sample.

What are RT-PCR’s advantages?

They are highly sensitive, highly accurate (especially if administered early), and they are very easy to man??ufacture. On ?April 3, that Manila Healthtek Inc., manufacturer of the UP-developed test, had already received reagents that would enable them to make up to 120,000 kits.

What are RT-PCR’s disadvantages?

Results often depend on the quality of the sample. “As the swab needs to pick up enough of the virus to work, this is one of the reasons the coronavirus in the PCR test can have a higher false negative test rate — that is, missing the virus even though someone has the infection,” explained Dr. James Gill of Warwick Medical School in t??he UK.

This is why repeat? RT-PCR tests may need to be conducted on a ?single patient.

And while the actual testing process is very fast, samples need to be transported to a central testing laboratory. For the ??first few weeks of ECQ, there was only one in the country: the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa. There are now, however, six, with more already in the last phase of accreditation.

Still, the need for a centralized point of analysis mean??????????????????????????s turna??round times for results could be slow.

PHOTO: AP

And what about the second kind of tests, the antibody tests?

In these kinds of tests, you’re not looking for the virus itself, but for evidence that the virus is (or was) inside your body. That means looking f?or antibodies — proteins manufactured in your blood that act as virus fighters.

Currently, the FDA has a??pproved nine antibody test kits for use in the Philippines.

Some of these tests are laboratory based. But of particular interest to many people are the rapid antibody test kits, which are po?rtable, don't need a specialized laboratory, and, as their name suggests, gives fast res??ults.

What antibodies is this test looking for?

The antibody known as immunoglobulin M, or IgM, shows up anywhere from 5 to 10 days from when you first get infected. Then, there is immunoglobulin G, or IgG, which appears within 10 to 14 days. 

“Many tests can distinguish between IgM and IgG and thus give information on the?? phase of infection (early/current versus later stage/previous infection),” said Dr. Andrew Preston, a microbial pathoge?nesis expert from the University of Bath.

So how does the test work?

Developing an antibody test is a little tricky. To make a RT-PCR test, you only needed to know the full genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2, which China provided back when the coronavirus began to explode. But to make an antibody test, you had t??o study the pr??otein coat around the virus — specifically, the proteins that would trigger an antibody response.

Once you’ve identified the proteins in the viral coat, you have to produce them in a laboratory and embed them into a matrix called an immunoassay. “[T]heir development takes time. Expressing the protein in the right structure is o?ften the most difficult step,”

However, once manufactur?ed, rapid diagnostic antibody tests are portable, rapid, and can be used in point-of-care (POC) situations. For exampl??e, a lateral flow immunoassay test — “essentially a dipstick encased in a cassette,” — only needs two drops of blood. Results appear in less than an hour. 

Sounds handy, right? However, in its guidelines on COVID-19 test kits, the DOH says that only medical doctors can prescribe? rapid antibody test kits, as well as interpret the results. It also cannot be bought over the counter. 

What’s the disadvantage of the antibody test?

Sure, rapid d?iagnostic antibody tests are fast and portable. But, as we described above, they’re also quite difficult to tes?t and develop. 

You also have to remember that antibodies don’t appear in your blood right away. So it’s very important to know when to take the test. Take it too early, when your body hasn’t developed any antibodies yet, and you might get a false negative result. Because of this, they are regarded as ?less accurate than RT-PCR tests.

In the interim guidelines? on COVID-19 testing by the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infe?ctious Diseases, : "The true accuracy of immunoassays for COVID-19 has not been established yet. The likelihood of false negative results from immunoassays in general should be considered. Furthermore, analytical specificity and sensitivity have not yet been determined."

Can rapid antibody tests be used to mass test for COVID-19?

The DOH makes its rules clear in its March 30 memo:? “All rapid antibody-based test kits cannot be used as a standalone test to definitively diagnose COVID-19.” In addition, all reports from the department will be based only on RT-PCR test results, and “no public funds shall be used to pay for any COVID-19 rapid antibody-based test kit.”

In the Philippines, for now, rapid antibody test kits can only be used by private medical institutions as an “adjunct tool” and a supplement for RT-PCR tests. For example, they can be used to clear patients who do not exhi??bit symptoms and have completed a 14-day?? quarantine after being released from a health facility.

PHOTO: AP

Is there another kind of test?

There is. It’s called an antigen test. It’s similar to the RT-PCR test because it looks for evidence of the virus itself, and not evidence that your body is fighting it. But if an RT-PCR test looks for a virus’ genetic material, an antigen test looks for the specific proteins that cause an immune response (called antigens) found in the outer coats of SARS-CoV-2. Various biotech companies are working on making small, porta?ble versions of these, similar to rapid antibody tests. However, these are still in development, and the Philippine FDA has not authorized any for use.

Quotes from UK experts from Science Media Centre.

PHOTO: AP

Silver also discussed Saturday’s 45-minute conference call that he and other major  The president said he had been watching some replays of past major sports events, then asked the commissioners and others for their ?thoughts.

Silver spoke in mid-February about how he had conce??rns about the coronavirus threat. By mid-March, it had shut down his league and now, in many ways, muc?h of the world is shuttered. As he said in an  late last month, Silver said he feels a responsibility for 55,000 people who generate at least some of their income by working in the NBA or at NBA games.

In this morning’s Laging Handa pre?ss briefing, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles of the Inter-agency Task Force made it official: “[E]nhanced ?community quarantine is hereby extended until 11:59 p.m. of April 30.”

He said that they had confirmed this with the chief executive last ?night.

The ECQ was supposed to end on April 13. In the?? press briefing, Nograles explained the IATF decis??ion to extend this deadline.

“Di pa ?natin nakikita ang peak,” he said. “Pag ni-lift mo ang ECQ, sisipa pataas ‘yan. Kasi gagalaw lahat. At kung gumalaw, kakalat [ang virus].”

He outlined s??everal steps that the government needed to take to “flatten the curve”: the capacity to conduct 8,000 to 10,000 tests per day with a 24-hour turnaround time, the immediate isolation of PUIs, the construction of strategic testing centers, as well as the capacity to do contact tracing.

And if ??all of these? things are in place by April 30?

He said that the ECQ will likely be relaxed, but Filipino citizens should be ready for a new normal. “Pag in place po lahat ‘to ng April 30, kelangan, andiyan pa rin ang social distancing. Eto yung sinasabi natin na magta-transition tayo sa new normal. And the new normal, ladies and gentlemen, is social, physica??l distancing.”

Metro Stores

Metro Supermarket, Super Metro Hypermarket, Metro Market, Metro Fresh n Easy

Puregold

Puregold Extra, Puregold Junior, and Puregold Price Club

Robinsons Supermarket

Rustan's Supermarket

Shopwise

Shopwise and Shopwise Express

SM Supermarkets

SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, and Savemore

April 10: 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. (SM Supermarket Aura, SM Supermarket Cherry Shaw, SM Supermarket Cubao, SM Supermarket Fairview, SM Supermarket Makati, SM Supermarket Manila, SM Supermarket Marikina, SM Supermarket Megamall A, SM Supermarket Megamall B, SM Supermarket North EDSA, SM Supermarket Novaliches, SM Supermarket San Lazaro, SM Supermarket San Mateo, SM Supermarket Sangandaan, SM Supermarket Southmall, SM Supermarket Sta. Mesa, SM Hypermarket Alabang-Zapote Road, SM Hypermarket Bicutan, SM Hypermarket Cainta, SM Hypermarket Cherry Congressional, SM Hypermarket Deca Mall, SM Hypermarket Fairview, SM Hypermarket FTI, SM Hypermarket Jazz, SM Hypermarket Las Pinas, SM Hypermarket Makati, SM Hypermarket Mall of Asia, SM Hypermarket Mandaluyong, SM Hypermarket Monumento, SM Hypermarket North EDSA, SM Hypermarket Novaliches, SM Hypermarket Pasig, SM Hypermarket Sucat, SM Hypermarket Sun Residences, SM Hypermarket Taytay, SM Hypermarket Valenzuela, Savemore Market PM Cainta, Savemore Market Ardi Cainta, Savemore Market IMall Antipolo, Savemore Market P.Tuazon, Savemore Market Nepa Q Mart, Savemore Market Cyberwest Quezon City, Savemore Market Binangonan, Savemore Market Tanay). 

S&R Membership Shopping

PHOTO: AP

The nearby Ninoy Aquino Stadium had earlier been converted?? into a medical facility that could accommodate as many as 200 beds. Secretary Carlito Galvez, chief implementer of National Action Plan vs. COVID-19, said it could be operational as early as Tuesday, after just almost a week of work.

PHOTO: PSC Executive Director Guillermo Iroy

During the postgame interview, Kiefer Ravena of the NLEX Road Warriors described his Gilas and now Dota 2 teammate June Mar: “Magaling 'yung Jakiro na 'yun. Six-time MVP 'yung Jakiro n??a 'yun eh.?”

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Fajardo and Ravena's squad, which a??lso had professional gamers Djardel "DJ" Mampusti of Fnatic and Armel "Armel" Tabios of TNC Predator, as well as WomboXcombo (WXC) broadcast manager Michael Angelo "Alo" Zomil, went with an all-around lineup ??of Jakiro, Dwarven Sniper, Death Prophe, Tiny, and Pudge.

Meanwhile, Ping's team, which included Japeth Aguilar of Barangay Ginebra San Mi??guel, pro gamers Carlo "Kuku" Palad of GeekFam and Timothy "Tims" Randrup of TNC, and WXC founder Nico "KuyaNic" Nazario, opted for a core-heavy roster of Ursa, Furion, Bristleback, Legion Commander, a?nd Chaos Knight.

It was all Team Blue from the outset; Alo's Pudge dre??w first blood at the expense of KuyaNic's Bristleback. June Mar went to work ea??rly with Jakiro and showcased his last-hitting skills even with Kiefer's Sniper on the same lane, while DJ (Death Prophet) didn't mess around at mid to give his group a 12-5 kill advantage after a clash around the 10-minute mark.

“Enjoy. Nakakatuwa kasi siyempre kaming mga PBA players, kumbaga hobby lang namin 'to (Dota 2), palipas oras," Ravena said of the charity showmatch. "Sila (pro gamers), eto 'yung talagang trabaho nila, and pinapanood lang namin sila sa online. Nakalaban na namin sila, iba p?ala talaga."

The remaining four games of the opening set had both t??he closest and most lopsided victories in the competition, among other results:

Harrell (Clippers) beats Sabonis (Pacers), 73-51

[yout??ube:{"videoId":"null","youtubeId":"_rcAnypSy5c", "caption":""}]

For the first time in the tourney, participants played using their own teams. Last season's Six??th Man of the Year finalists showed out in the paint with their video-game selves, but Montrezl pulled away l??ate for the 22-point win.

Hachimura (Lakers) beats Mitchell (Nets), 74-71

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Booker (Bucks) beats Porter, Jr. (Lakers), 85-75

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The 2020 All-Star shrugged off the red-shirt rookie's challenge to pick their squads, for the competition's second Milwaukee-Los Angeles matchup. Booker then pulled a Pat Bev, talking tra?sh and eventually getting the dub.

Drummond (Lakers) beats Cousins (Nets), 101-49

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Boogie must regret roasting Dre's Cavs, when the latter just turned a seven-point lead at halftime into a 52-point demolition. At least Ronnie 2K won't have to deal with Cou??sins, especially after calling him a d*ck in a live stream.

Catch the quarterfinals of? the NBA 2K players tourney — which also includes Day 1 winners Derrick Jones, Jr., Trae Young, Pat Beverley, and DeAndre Ayton — through the NBA's official social media accounts on Thursday, ??April 9, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

In a crisis that’s pa??ralyzed almost the entire country, the machinery of government has been laid bare like never before. In many cases, at many levels, it turned out to be slow, creaky, or sometimes even non-existent. But in others, too, there was clear competence and steady leadership at the helm — a well-oiled machine, built to serve the people. 

And if you were, at any point since COVID-19 arrived, unhappy with any of your elected officials, the best time to act arrives next week: The? COMELEC is reopening vote??r registrations on May 1. 

Suspended for a time because of the enhanced community quara?ntine, the COMELEC is once again throwing open its doors for voters who aren’t yet registered for the 2022 elections.

It’s ?a crucial one: we will be electing a new pr??esident, vice president, a fresh batch of 12 senators, plus your congressional representative. Mayors, vice-mayors, and councilors will also be up on the ballot.

Again, registration is open for any Filipino citizen w?ho is at least 18 years of age on or before May 9, 2022, a resident of the Philippines for at least one year, and living in the place where he/she will be registering to vote for at least six months following the national and local elections.

The main COMELEC offic?e as well as its satellite offices will be open from Monday to S?aturday, including holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you're already registered (or if you? aren���t sure), you can check y??our precincts through the

It’s time to put your money where your mouth is. Reg?iste?r to vote, and next time at the polls, to paraphrase Gandhi, vote the change you want to see in the world.

* The company has started to operationalize its commitment to donate P500 million worth of personal protect??ive equipment (PPEs) for medical front-liners. It has partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to tap l?ocal suppliers. Sourcing of PPEs through its n?etwork of global suppliers is also ongoing.