Filipinos should not be disheartened even as the country is confronted by an economic downturn triggered by the previous strict coronavirus lockdown, according to a Palace official.
(PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government is determined to facilitate an economic recovery while ramping up efforts to the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
The country has plunged into recession after the economy suffered a record steep decline in the second quarter of the year. The gross domestic product shrank by 16.5 percent after the government imposed a stringent quarantine that shut many businesses, suspended public transport, and displaced workers from March to May.
"Hindi po ito dahilan para naman tayo ay panghinaan ng loob. Mas kilala na po natin ang anyo ng COVID-19 kumpara noong Marso, alam na natin kung paano ito kumakalat, alam na rin natin kung paano ito maiiwasan (This should not be a cause for discouragement. We know better the nature of COVID-19 compared to last March. We know how it spreads, we know how it can be prevented)," Roque said during a televised briefing last Friday.
"Sabi nga po ng ating Presidente (The President said) we must facilitate the country’s economic recovery," he said.
Roque said the government has readied strategies to bring economic recovery, that includes seeking the swift passage of the proposed Bayanihan 2 law and proposed corporate income tax incentive law.
The Bayanihan 2 bill proposes a P140-billion fund for various programs to improve health care resources, boost the government's pandemic response, and support industries and families hit hard by the pandemic.
The government's plan to stimulate the economy also includes the proposed P4.5 trillion national budget for 2021 as well as the implementation of infrastructure development project, according to Roque.
"Kasama na rin po sa ating gagawin at sa ating istratehiya ang recalibrated budget para sa susunod na taon. Ito po ay naka-angklo sa administration’s key priorities para po tayo ay maka-recover sa COVID-19 (Part of our strategy is the recalibrated budget for next year. This is anchored on administrations key priorities to recover from COVID-19)," he said.
"Nagsimula na rin po ang operasyon ng ating Build, Build, Build projects subject to health and safety protocols. Ilan lang po ito sa mga istratehiya na ating ginagawa upang muling manumbalik ang sigla ng ating ekonomiya (The operation of our Build, Build, Build projects has started subject to health and safety protocols. These are some of our strategies to restore the strength of our economy)," he said.
The President is expected convene a meeting with some members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF) on Monday in Davao City.
The President's meeting with the task force will occur after the country suffered the economic contraction and has overtaken Indonesia with the most number of coronavirus in Southeast Asia.
The country has seen a record spike in coronavirus cases in recent days, although the government has attributed the surge of infections to the country's aggressive testing efforts.
To limit the spread of the virus, Roque said the government would continue to scale up testing, tracing and treatment efforts. He said the country's isolation capacity will also be strengthened with the construction of more isolation centers and tapping of more hotel rooms for those asymptomatic and with mild symptoms.
The country's health care capacity will also be strengthened by adding more dedicated COVID-19 beds and hiring additional health workforce, Roque said.
"Kinakailangan po tuloy lang ang ating buhay. Tulad nang madalas kong sinasabi sa ating press briefing, sasayawan po natin ito. Kinakailangan po pag-ingatan natin ang ating buhay para tayo po ay makapaghanapbuhay (We have to continue with our lives. Like what I said in the past briefings, we will dance to it. We must take care of our health so we can continue to work)," he said.
The President has placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal under modified enhanced community quarantine in a bid to slow down the surge in infections. The lockdown, which started last August 4 and last until August 18, is enforced after health workers called for stricter measures to ease the burden on the country's hospitals.
The general community quarantine remains in effect in Batangas, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Talisay City, municipalities of Minglanilla and Consolacion in Cebu, and Zamboanga City.
The rest of the country is under the most relaxed modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) until mid-August.