Palace: Philippine economy opening up amid record-high hunger survey result

September 28, 2020

Malacañang said on Monday that the government is trying its best to open up the economy in order to lower the number of Filipinos getting hungry.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement following a latest survey of the Social Weather Stations, showing a new record-high of 30.7 percent, or an estimated 7.6 million households have been experiencing involuntary hunger or hunger due to lack of food to eat at least once in the past three months. This surpassed the previous peak of 23.8 percent in March 2012.

"That news is very saddening and that's why we're opening up the economy to lessen the numbers, especially of those who are getting hungry," Roque said.

He noted that Metro Manila, which contributes about 60 percent to the country's gross domestic product, has long been under the general community quarantine, wherein only about 50 percent of the economy is opened.

Roque said he was not sure if Metro Manila would remain under GCQ this coming October.

President Rodrigo Duterte may announce the new quarantine classification in various parts of the country on Monday night after meeting with some members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Due to quarantine protocols that the government has been implementing to arrest the spread of coronavirus, Roque said it is understandable why some sectors of society, such as the carpenters, drivers, and those who have limited access to transportation, have been experiencing hunger.

He also acknowledged that the public transportation has remained insufficient, especially with the maintenance of one meter distancing inside the vehicles.

But Roque said the government is also extending assistance to the Filipinos through various programs, such as the work for cash program of the Department of Labor and Employment, the small business salary subsidy of the Department of Finance, and those included under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act and in the proposed P4.5 trillion budget for next year.

Meanwhile, the Palace rejected the proposal to exempt factory and office workers from wearing face shields.

Roque, citing a study, said that wearing of face mask is 94 percent effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19, while wearing of face shield could give about 3 percent additional protection.

"Considering that the price of face shield has gone down, it's not an unreasonable requirement by the IATF," he said.

Aside from wearing of face mask and face shield inside the public transport and commercial places, the IATF has also required that they be worn in work places.

Business and workers' groups have been appealing to government that workers in factory and construction sites be exempted from mandatory use of face shields in order not to affect their work.

On the concern requiring businesses to have isolation rooms in workplaces, Roque advised them to coordinate with the local government since there could be isolation facilities in the barangays.

But he added that the government and the private sector have shared responsibility in fighting COVID-19. Celerina Monte/DMS