Duterte wants biz sector’s advice for fast economic recovery

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte holds a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on June 15, 2020. SIMEON CELI JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte would meet with the business community to ensure the early recovery of the Philippine economy from the crisis driven by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Malacañang said on Tuesday.

Duterte announced his plan on Monday night to consult the businessmen about the possible adjustment of quarantine measures to boost economic activity in the country.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte is confident that the business sector could help his government ramp up plans for faster economic recovery.

“So siguro ‘yung pagpupulong ni President, tatanungin niya paano pa ba natin lalong mapapabilis yung ating pag-tayo o pag-recover dito sa Covid-19 na naging problema natin (Perhaps, the President will ask [the businessmen] as to how we can quickly recover from the problems we encounter due to Covid-19),” he said in a virtual presser aired on state-run PTV-4.

In his public address aired late Monday night, Duterte said he would hold a meeting with businessmen either by Tuesday or Wednesday.

Duterte added that the latest quarantine classifications in the country might be revised after his consultation with the business sector.

“After I shall have talked with the businessmen, then we can decide whether or not we can still modify the modified lockdown that we have imposed,” he said.

Duterte placed Cebu City enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the most stringent community quarantine, until June 30 since the area recorded the highest cases of Covid-19.

MECQ was implemented in Talisay City, while general community quarantine (GCQ) was imposed in Metro Manila; the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Tarlac, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor; and the cities of Santiago, Olongapo, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Zamboanga, and Davao.

The rest of the country was put under modified GCQ.

Roque clarified that the possible revisions to new quarantine classifications might take effect after June 30.

”I think that [plans to modify quarantine classifications] will be post-June 30,” he said.

Roque also ensured that the business sector would get support from the government amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Syempre po, lahat po tayo ay nalugi. Wala po talagang nakinabang dito sa Covid-19 (We all suffered losses. No one benefitted from this Covid-19 pandemic),” he said. “Kinakailangan bigyang suporta ng gobyerno ang pribadong sektor. Mahirap itong pagbangon na ito pero nasa likod niyo kami (The government needs to support the private sector. It’s difficult to recover from this but we’re here for them).”