Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion is batting for an "aggressive" lowering of alert level classifications in Metro Manila--similar to the aggressive imposition of a lockdown a couple of months ago during the initial attack of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Delta variant.
Concepcion recalled in a televised interview Tuesday, Oct. 12 the quick action that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) took last August against the more tranmissible Delta variant, noting that the National Capital Region (NCR) is now enjoying the benefits of such action.
"Tumataas iyong infection. Hindi na namin hinintay; sinabi namin kay (The number of infections went up. We didn't wait for it to get worse; we told Secretary Galvez at kay (and) Duque , let’s go on an early lockdown upon the recommendation of our health advisers at that time," Concepcion said of that time period.
"So, we went and we already took the aggressive stand to early lockdown. Ngayon, nakikita natin (Now, based on what we're seeing), we’re saying let’s open up, let’s be aggressive now and let’s just be vigilant," he said.
Metro Manila or NCR is currently under alert level 4 as per the Alert Level System (ALS), which replaced the region-wide quarantine classification scheme.
If the Go Negosyo founder would have his way, he wants the NCR be placed under the most lax alert level 1 either by November or December in order to spur economic activity during what is traditionally the strongest quarter of the year, business-wise.
Concepcion said that with the current allowed operational capacity of establishments (30 percent), it would difficult if not impossible for them to make a profit amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He even doubted that these establishments would be able to raise funds for their employees' 13th month pay due to the limited capacity.
"Kailangan tumaas iyan sa 50 percent (That should be increased to 50 percent). And eventually, if we are able to go down to level 1 by November, you know, or even December, then they should open up...and then can go up to 70 percent," he said.
"Kasi sa 30 percent, halos wala kang kita diyan eh (Because there's almost no profit at 30 percent capacity). Now, sa (at) 50 percent, now you can earn some money pero hindi gaano kalaki pa iyan (although it's not that big) but at least they will be able to have enough to pay their obligations and, hopefully, carry them forward until 2022," he explained.
A key factor in this proposed aggressive reopen of the economy is Metro Manila's 80 percent vaccination rate (eligible population) against COVID-19.
"Klarung-klaro dito sa NCR 80 percent bakunado na (It's clear that 80 percent are vaccinated in NCR), so, your risk is 20 percent. Pero iyong risk na 20 pecent unvaccinated, hindi naman lahat iyan pupunta sa ospital eh, so, my isang percent lang iyan (But not all of the 20 percent unvaccinated will end up in a hospital, it's just a single percentage point)...let’s say 5 percent of the unvaccinated of that 20 percent will go to the hospital, maliit na numero ang iyan eh (that's just a small number)," he said.
"Ito ang panahon (This is the time) that we should start to live with COVID. At kung pabagsak iyung trajectory ng infection level (And if the trajectory of infection level is going down), then we should open up more and more; and then keep an eye, watch out. If it reverses, then we pull back and we can push back," Concepcion said.
"But for now, it’s only one quarter left ‘til the end of the year, ibigay na natin ito sa mga negosyante para mabuhay sila until next year (Let's give this to the businessmen so that they can survive until next year)," he added.