Despite high COVID-19 cases, biz group wants 'full' reopening of economy
MANILA, Philippines — Amid elevated virus caseloads driven by the highly contagious Delta variant, the largest business group in the Philippines is pushing for “full opening" of the economy, saying any form of lockdown is “disruptive” to businesses.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said it “wishes” for the economy to completely emerge from prolonged lockdowns even as herd immunity is not yet achieved, arguing that it would be difficult to hit such a goal anyway if the coronavirus continues to mutate.
“Many health experts claim it is impossible to achieve herd immunity as the virus keeps mutating and the vaccine is always behind the curve,” Acting PCCI President Edgardo Lacson said.
“The COVID-19 virus and its variants will be here forever but it can be contained by simply observing prescribed health protocols of masking, handwashing, and social distancing,” Lacson added.
A day before Metro Manila shifts to the less strict general community quarantine (GCQ), the Philippines recorded 18,012 more infections on Tuesday, pushing the country’s total count to 2,121,308. Of that figure, 158,637 or 7.5% are active cases.
The capital region, the Philippines’ coronavirus epicenter, will be under GCQ from September 8 to 30, but authorities said it would be different this time. In a departure from previous policy of enforcing region-wide restrictions, “granular” lockdowns will be imposed on specific areas in Metro Manila where cases are high to allow the rest of the capital region to open up to some extent.
The idea is not new, though, as some local government units like Quezon City have been placing barangays under localized lockdowns in a bid to break virus contagion. On Monday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque explained that, this time around, a person can't go back in if he or she goes out of an area under granular lockdown.
“There's really no in-and-out," Roque said.
While acknowledging that the recalibrated pandemic strategy has “positive implications”, PCCI’s Lacson said there will still be disruptions to businesses as long as pandemic curbs are here.
“It is a tacit admission by authorities that they will henceforth abandon the intermittent and harmful regional lockdown protocol,” he said.
“Yet, it must be recognized by authorities that a lockdown, whether region wide or granular, remains disruptive and a disincentive to business operations,” he added. “We must remove our overblown fear of this virus and the even greater fear of another lockdown." — Ian Nicolas Cigaral
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