Manila lockdown cripples businesses big and small. PHOTO

MANILA – The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) said reopening of the economy is necessary to prevent further economic damage and job losses, following speculation of extending lockdown in Metro Manila due to increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

ECOP president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said in a statement “let’s compromise, we have to think that the economy is more important and we have to live with COVID-19,”

“It’s time we learn that lockdown is not the remedy,” Ortiz-Luis added.

He said that reopening of the economy should be accompanied by continued rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and adherence to health protocols.

Earlier, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said that the possibility of extending the ECQ in Metro Manila for another three weeks is not yet on the table, and talks of a five-week ECQ are mere rumors and disinformation.

Citing government estimates, Ortiz-Luis said lockdowns cost the economy P150 billion a week, or P300 billion for the two-week ECQ.

Further, he pointed out that the estimated lockdown losses are on top of business closures that lead to unemployment.

“It would have been much productive and useful to channel even a fifth of these losses to strengthen our healthcare system to address the cases and for prevention measures,” the ECOP chief said.

Ortiz-Luis, likewise, noted that the number of deaths related to the coronavirus is small compared to those who die due to other diseases, and even suicide and hunger.

He said there is thus a need to intensify monitoring of severe cases as a large majority of COVID-19 infections are asymptomatic.

“Let us not be fixated on the numbers. Instead, let us intensify and fast-track our vaccination.

“Let us not forget practicing health protocols and comply with quarantine classifications. Continue adding hospital rooms, facilities, COVID-19 centers…,” he said.

Ortiz-Luis also reiterated the urgent need and importance of waiving the Data Privacy Act to facilitate contact tracing.

“Government has already suspended many of our civil rights in the interest of safety and health, the latest of which is the prohibition for those in the ECQ areas from going out of their homes for physical exercises,” he said.

“Many known personalities have already made voluntary disclosures on their COVID-19 cases. After all, this is not an embarrassing illness,” he added.

On Saturday afternoon, the Philippines recorded 14,249 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the total to 1,727,231.

Also, fresh infections brought the tally of active cases to 98,847. But recoveries also climbed to 1,598,314 (or 92% survival rate) after 11,714 more patients recovered.

Deaths was at 30,070 (or 0.017%) of the total cumulative tally of COVID-19 cases.

Meanwhile, three senators pointed out that the economy still has a ways to go before it returns to its pre-pandemic level, amid the 11.8 percent growth recorded in the second quarter of 2021.

According to Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, it could take the Philippines a year or two before it can reach the gross domestic product (GDP) that the country had recorded before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“We grew four percent first half. I expect the full year to be four percent. Will take a year or two to achieve GDP 2019 level,” Recto said.

While Senators Grace Poe and Joel Villanueva shared similar position stating that the latest data showing the country’s economic growth is “nothing to brag about.”

“Economic growth may be at its highest since 1988 but let’s not lose sight of the fact that still, it isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels,” she explained.

“We may have grown by 11.8 percent from the 17-percent contraction of last year, but that’s nothing to brag about because much of it is base effect,” Poe added.

The base effect: the economy plunged -16.9 percent in the same period last year, so calculating against that number for a year-on-year comparison will be reflected by a larger number.

For the senator, the government must spend the tax money on the health sector by paying the hospitals and the healthcare workers while protecting and creating jobs.

“Let’s keep our people safe and ensure that there will be food on their table. Then and only then can these growth numbers mean anything,” she said.

The Philippines on Tuesday recorded an 11.8 percent GDP growth for the second quarter of 2021.

Socioeconomic Planning secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said this was driven by more than just the base effect, claiming that it is the result of a better balance between addressing COVID-19 and the need to restore the jobs and incomes of the people.