Prime Sarmiento

China Daily • 15th January 2021

ASEAN countries set to bounce back from pandemic

Southeast Asia is poised for economic recovery this year, with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and steady trade with China seen supporting growth even as the region battles the pandemic, analysts said.

China Daily Global • 8th January 2021

Optimism stays in frame for art scene

"The art market moves in tandem with the economy. What comes first is the foundation of Asian economic growth ... it doesn't look like it's affected too much (by the pandemic). And that's because of the strength of domestic consumption."

China Daily Global Weekly • 9th November 2020

Healthier alternatives

Lockdown measures in Southeast Asia have disrupted the supply of food from farms to cities and towns, with public transportation suspended and trading outlets shuttered. This situation has prompted urban residents to seek alternatives. One of the most popular options is to buy directly from farmers via e-commerce sites and social media. Meanwhile, others residents have started to grow their own vegetables at home.

China Daily Global • 2nd November 2020

Pandemic highlights plight of women

The plight of domestic workers reflects how the pandemic has been especially hard on women. Most of the domestic helpers are women and highly vulnerable to exploitation. But the pandemic’s harsh impact on women cuts across the social divide.

China Daily Global Weekly • 12th October 2020

Waiting to set sail

Avid travelers are a key source of hope for the global cruise industry, which has been paralyzed by the pandemic, with operators having to suspend tours. Asia is expected to remain a growth market, thanks largely to the region’s expanding middle class, which is increasingly willing to spend on travel.

China Daily Global • 9th October 2020

Operators offer touch of luxury as well-heeled clients take to the water

Luxury operators have arguably long provided packages that promote forms of social distancing - whether it is travel by private jets and yachts, staying in villas in remote destinations, or other customized services. As a result, the luxury travel industry is expected to be the first to recover from the pandemic.

China Daily Global • 5th October 2020

My home is my castle, and my workplace too

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we think about our employment.

China Daily Global Weekly • 9th August 2020

Rising to the challenge

Pandemic shows resilience of East and Southeast Asia and leaders’ decisiveness.

China Daily Global • 3rd July 2020

Technicians play crucial role in war on disease

The COVID-19 pandemic has finally given millions of healthcare workers the attention they deserve.

China Daily Global • 15th June 2020

Personal trials set aside in devotion to country

Aashreena Inderjit, 35, who says she always wanted to be a doctor, is aware of the sacrifices and hard work that come with her work in the state of Kelantan in northeastern Malaysia. Ten years after graduating from medical school she is taking care of pregnant women amid a global pandemic.

China Daily Global • 8th June 2020

'Travel bubbles' eyed to revive economies

Governments in the Asia-Pacific region are exploring the creation of "travel bubbles" to spur essential business travel and help revive economies hit hard by COVID-19.

China Daily Global • 27th May 2020

Fears of 2nd wave mute Eid celebrations

The arrival of annual Eid al-Fitr after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan signaled the need for most Southeast Asian governments to impose stringent movement control measures to prevent another wave of COVID-19 infections, analysts said.

China Daily Global • 18th May 2020

Lockdowns put ASEAN's self-sufficiency in spotlight

COVID-19 has forced most Southeast Asian governments to lock down their countries to stem the rise of infections. But measures meant to ensure public health safety have also led to disruptions in food supply.

China Daily Global • 4th May 2020

SMEs in ASEAN get help in difficult times

Filipina entrepreneur Pacita Juan is relieved that she and her partners had the foresight to develop an e-commerce site for their organic-products retail chain. The founder and chairwoman of ECHOstore said the online shop keeps her business afloat at a time when the novel coronavirus outbreak has pushed the government to lock down the capital region of metropolitan Manila. But the higher online sales cannot compensate for the losses the company has incurred from the shutdown of all its physica

China Daily Global • 1st April 2020

Philippine mayors step up pandemic response in helping communities cope with lockdown

Trina Alejandra Firmalo-Fabic, a town mayor in the Philippines, was surprised when President Rodrigo Duterte announced on March 16 that he would lock down the entire island of Luzon. The one-month lockdown aims to stem the rising cases of COVID-19 infection in the Southeast Asian country.

China Daily Global • 22nd March 2020

SE Asia ramps up virus containment efforts

Southeast Asian countries are intensifying their efforts to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak, as confirmed cases surge and community transmission becomes more prevalent.

China Daily Global • 16th March 2020

HK-based MD offers classes on virus safety

The novel coronavirus outbreak has disrupted work schedules across Asia. To reduce the risk of contracting COVID-1 9, many people work from home; others have had to cut working hours as the outbreak has slowed business.

China Daily Global • 16th March 2020

Alarm over waste as Southeast Asia fights outbreak

Finance manager Shiela Briol began stocking up on face masks, disposable wipes and bottles of isopropyl alcohol in late January, spooked by news of the Philippines' first case of the novel coronavirus.

China Daily Global • 2nd March 2020

Singapore rises to the challenge

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 has tested and shown the resilience of Singapore’s public healthcare system, a senior World Health Organization official said.

China Daily Global • 6th August 2020

Southeast Asia stiffens defenses as infections rise

Much of Southeast Asia is once again stepping up control efforts against the coronavirus in the face of rising numbers of infections－even in those countries that had won praise for getting on top of the outbreak.