By Anthony Giron IMUS CITY, Cavite – The province of Cavite has been the worst hit among the provinces in the Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) region in terms of economic productivity, and effects on its citizenry due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. Governor Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla Jr. (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN) This was disclosed by Cavite Governor Juanito Victor Remulla Jr. as he cited a report that Calabarzon has so far reeled from losses amounting to P10 billion in terms of human cost and economic productivity. And of the five provinces in the region, Remulla said Cavite bore the brunt of the damages caused by the deadly pandemic. “Sa limang lalawigan, ang Cavite Ang pinakamatindi ang pinsala,” he said in his Facebook post Tuesday, April 2. Remulla noted that Cavite had the largest population in Calabarzon, or also referred to as Region 4-A; and had the most number of economic zones. “Ito na ang pinakamatinding economic dislocation sa ating kasaysayan,” Remulla said, citing the jobs and the businesses that have been disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (This has, indeed, been the biggest economic dislocation in our history.) And based on the study he cited, Region 4-A has been the worst-hit in the country. “It is estimated that in the last six weeks region 4-A has lost somewhere in the P10-billion range in lost productivity,” he said. And for Cavite alone, Remulla enumerated the economic costs of COVID-19. “There is a number in the economic costs. Two billion pesos lost on wages in our economic zones. 100,000 Public Utility drivers with zero-income. Two thousand big and small restaurants and eateries closed. All hotels in Tagaytay closed. All beaches in Naic, Tanza, Ternate closed. All malls closed, 100,000 plus employees from Cavite to Manila dislocated,” he said. In his message, Remulla also noted the number of citizens who have been affected by COVID-19 since the first case was reported in the province in early March. Cavite has at least 172 COVID-19 cases with 49 recoveries and 23 deaths, as per report of the Center for Health Development (CHD)-Region IV-A in its latest update at 3 p.m. Monday, April 27. Cavite ranked third in terms of cases in Region IV-A after Rizal with 291 cases (with 40 recoveries and 39 deaths) and Laguna with 263 cases (with 53 recoveries and 21 deaths). On fourth spot was Batangas with 91 cases (with 29 recoveries and 16 deaths) and Quezon on fifth with 53 cases (with five recoveries and seven deaths). “There is a number on the human costs.160+ infected (23 deaths and 49 recoveries),” Remulla said in his post. “We have slowed the rate of infections, pero di nababa ang bilang ng nagkakasakit,” he added. (but the number of the afflicted citizens did not went down.) In his post message, Remulla cited that in the United States, the measure stick used to gauge the readiness of opening the economy with the COVID-19 pandemic was 14 days straight of declining infections. With the developments and observation in Cavite province, Remulla favored the extension of the implementation of strict enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) for two more weeks. “We will have a 14-day strict quarantine from April 30, 12 midnight, ‘til May 15. 5 a.m.” he said. Remulla said he would announce the ECQ guidelines by Tuesday night, April 28.