The enhanced community quarantine cannot be lifted abruptly, the government said Sunday, as it warned that strict measures would be reimplemented if there is a resurgence in coronavirus cases after the lockdown period.
Members of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases met Sunday to discuss possible scenarios and measures to be enforced once the Luzon-wide quarantine ends.
While the task force has yet to decide whether to extend or lift the quarantine, its spokesman, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, said the Philippines has to consider the reminder of the World Health Organization about the risks of lifting lockdowns prematurely.
"We have to follow, if ever, the advice of the WHO that we cannot be abrupt on this. So one of the option being eyed is phase by phase (lifting). Maybe it should be targeted, we have to choose (which establishments) should reopen and what work force would be allowed to work, what transport systems would be allowed," Nograles told radio station dzBB.
"So we have these kinds of guidelines that should be imposed and once they are approved by President Duterte, we would have new do's and don't's," he added.
The enhanced community quarantine started last March 17 and was supposed to end last April 13 but President Rodrigo Duterte decided to extend it to give the government more time to conduct tests and strengthen the country's health system.
Swift action vowed
Nograles assured the public that the government would act swiftly in the event of a resurgence of coronavirus cases.
"There is a caveat... if the numbers increase, if there is a new spike or surge or resurgence or second wave or relapse, whatever terminology will be used, the bottom line is if we see another increase in the number of cases, we have to be prepared. The government has to decide quickly," the IATF spokesman said.
"We need to be strict again, implement again the enhanced community quarantine, either as a whole or in particular localities. Our action should be swift," he added.
Nograles said the IATF is expected to discuss what industries and sectors would be allowed to resume operations, whether the quarantine should still cover the entire island of Luzon or only selected areas.
The government, Nograles said, would consider five parameters in deciding whether to lift or extend the quarantine namely the epidemiological curve or the acceleration or deceleration of COVID-19 cases; health aspects, including capacity to tests, isolate, and treat patients and facilities; social aspect; economic aspect; and security aspect.
"We do not know yet what will happen tomorrow. Hopefully, we will arrive at a consensus. Whatever recommendations to be presented, ultimately, it will be President Duterte who will decide," Nograles said.
Nograles said regardless of the post-quarantine scenario to be implemented, the wearing of masks, constant disinfection, and social distancing would still be required.
He said the government is also expected to ramp up the testing of patients under investigation and patients under monitoring on Tuesday because of its improved testing capacity.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/04/19/2008370/iatf-luzon-lockdown-restrictions-cannot-be-lifted-all-once
Sunday, April 19, 2020
What happens to Luzon-wide ECQ after April 30? Duterte may get reco on April 25, says Año
A recommendation on what action will be taken after the extended enhanced community quarantine in the entire Luzon lapses on April 30 may be submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte on April 25, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Sunday.
In an interview on ANC, Año said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emergency Infectious Diseases is expected to meet again on Monday where the latest on the"COVID-19 epidemiology" will be presented.
“We are going to take into consideration whatever recommendation and conclusions that they will be able to present tomorrow… along with several factors, like our health system capacity at the present, looking into the economic factors, and also social factors,” said Año.
“So, we’re thinking of coming up with a recommendation to the president probably, maybe, on the 25th. And then, of course, it’s going to be the president who shall decide whether the ECQ will be lifted, or modified, or partially lifted, or even extended,” he said, adding expanding the ECQ to cover areas outside Luzon is also an option.
Año ruled out, however, a “total lockdown for the entire country,” saying what government intends to do is to implement the existing measure “on a very strict mode.”
He also clarified that government will not implement martial law, although a “martial law-style” implementation of the quarantine measures may be done in severely-affected areas where there are rampant violations.
“We want the people to be aware on the graveness of this problem,” he said. “We are increasing actually policemen and soldiers to implement the remaining days of the lockdown.”
Año said severely-affected areas, where there are ongoing local transmissions of the disease, like Cebu City’s Sitio Zapatera, are continuously being looked into.
He warned that with the stricter implementation of the lockdown, authorities are expected to apprehend more violators of quarantine measures, especially those “engaging in other activities like drinking and gambling.”
Año lamented the apparent lack of concern by some people, “as if they just don’t care.”
He said local government units are being encouraged to pass ordinances to punish violators after the lockdown period.
“For the rest of the rest of the year, I think we are going to confront and face this COVID problem until a vaccine is invented,” he said, noting that the new normal will require people to always wear masks, observe physical distancing, and avoid mass gatherings.
The government placed the entire Luzon, home to more than half of the country's population, on lockdown from March 17 to curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease. As a result, economic activities have also been limited.
On Saturday, the country's tally of COVID-19 cases breached the 6,000-mark.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/19/20/what-happens-to-luzon-wide-ecq-after-april-30-duterte-may-get-reco-on-april-25-says-ao
In an interview on ANC, Año said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emergency Infectious Diseases is expected to meet again on Monday where the latest on the"COVID-19 epidemiology" will be presented.
“We are going to take into consideration whatever recommendation and conclusions that they will be able to present tomorrow… along with several factors, like our health system capacity at the present, looking into the economic factors, and also social factors,” said Año.
“So, we’re thinking of coming up with a recommendation to the president probably, maybe, on the 25th. And then, of course, it’s going to be the president who shall decide whether the ECQ will be lifted, or modified, or partially lifted, or even extended,” he said, adding expanding the ECQ to cover areas outside Luzon is also an option.
Año ruled out, however, a “total lockdown for the entire country,” saying what government intends to do is to implement the existing measure “on a very strict mode.”
He also clarified that government will not implement martial law, although a “martial law-style” implementation of the quarantine measures may be done in severely-affected areas where there are rampant violations.
“We want the people to be aware on the graveness of this problem,” he said. “We are increasing actually policemen and soldiers to implement the remaining days of the lockdown.”
Año said severely-affected areas, where there are ongoing local transmissions of the disease, like Cebu City’s Sitio Zapatera, are continuously being looked into.
He warned that with the stricter implementation of the lockdown, authorities are expected to apprehend more violators of quarantine measures, especially those “engaging in other activities like drinking and gambling.”
Año lamented the apparent lack of concern by some people, “as if they just don’t care.”
He said local government units are being encouraged to pass ordinances to punish violators after the lockdown period.
“For the rest of the rest of the year, I think we are going to confront and face this COVID problem until a vaccine is invented,” he said, noting that the new normal will require people to always wear masks, observe physical distancing, and avoid mass gatherings.
The government placed the entire Luzon, home to more than half of the country's population, on lockdown from March 17 to curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease. As a result, economic activities have also been limited.
On Saturday, the country's tally of COVID-19 cases breached the 6,000-mark.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/19/20/what-happens-to-luzon-wide-ecq-after-april-30-duterte-may-get-reco-on-april-25-says-ao
Sotto: Senate session to resume on May 4
SENATE President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Saturday stressed that session resumes on May 4, whether or not the executive department will lift the Enhanced Community Quarantine due to COVID19 pandemic.
Sotto explained that they can never change the legislative calendar, meaning they need to convene session on May 4.
"'Yung legislative calendar, hindi pwedeng baguhin kahit na mag-extend ang executive department o sabihin ng Pangulo dapat iextend ang ECQ para safe pa, ang legislative calendar natin hindi pwedeng baguhin we have to convene on May 4," said Sotto.
"Trabaho ko yun (mag-convene), mag-isa man ako, I'm sure marami sa amin makaka-attend, ikoconvene ko yun," he added.
In the event that a total lockdown will be implemented, Sotto said they can convene but will also suspend immediately.
"Kung sabihin ng Pangulo na total lockdown, magko-convene pa rin kami tapos magsu-suspend lang para anytime pwedeng magpatawag," he further said.
Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson has a different view on the matter.
Lacson said they can extend their break and resume session once the ECQ is lifted.
"May mungkahi na pag lockdown pa rin tayo at ganito pa rin situation at mataas ang health risk baka baguhin ang legislative calendar," Lacson said.
"Pero pagbalik namin ng May magsi-sine die kami ng June. So mga 1 buwan lang yan, so pwede mag-comply kami na mag-sine die kami, pwede i-extend ang session break,"he added.
https://journal.com.ph/news/nation/sotto-senate-session-resume-may-4
Sotto explained that they can never change the legislative calendar, meaning they need to convene session on May 4.
"'Yung legislative calendar, hindi pwedeng baguhin kahit na mag-extend ang executive department o sabihin ng Pangulo dapat iextend ang ECQ para safe pa, ang legislative calendar natin hindi pwedeng baguhin we have to convene on May 4," said Sotto.
"Trabaho ko yun (mag-convene), mag-isa man ako, I'm sure marami sa amin makaka-attend, ikoconvene ko yun," he added.
In the event that a total lockdown will be implemented, Sotto said they can convene but will also suspend immediately.
"Kung sabihin ng Pangulo na total lockdown, magko-convene pa rin kami tapos magsu-suspend lang para anytime pwedeng magpatawag," he further said.
Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson has a different view on the matter.
Lacson said they can extend their break and resume session once the ECQ is lifted.
"May mungkahi na pag lockdown pa rin tayo at ganito pa rin situation at mataas ang health risk baka baguhin ang legislative calendar," Lacson said.
"Pero pagbalik namin ng May magsi-sine die kami ng June. So mga 1 buwan lang yan, so pwede mag-comply kami na mag-sine die kami, pwede i-extend ang session break,"he added.
https://journal.com.ph/news/nation/sotto-senate-session-resume-may-4
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Extension of ECQ until mid-May not true: Nograles
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Saturday vehemently denied he had told businessmen that the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon will be extended until mid-May.
Nograles merely dismissed as “fake, false, and untrue” the supposed plan to extend the ECQ anew.
“Napakalayo sa katotohanan (This is far from the truth). This is totally false, totally untrue, totally fake. So huwag na po nating patulan iyan (Just ignore it),” he said in a virtual presser aired on state-run PTV-4.
Nograles issued the statement after being asked if he had really informed businessmen about President Rodrigo Duterte's willingness to order another extension of ECQ until mid-May.
Nograles reiterated that the small group formed by Duterte has yet to present its possible recommendations with regard to ECQ’s fate.
He added that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) still has to deliberate on the recommendations that will be presented by the small group.
“Sa Lunes, pagu-usapan namin at ire-rekomenda pa namin ito kay Pangulo. At ultimately, si Pangulo ang magde-desisyon (We will discuss it on Monday. We will then make a recommendation to the President. Ultimately, the President will be the one to decide),” Nograles, spokesperson of IATF-EID, said.
The ECQ in Luzon to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country is expected to end on April 30.
The Luzon-wide ECQ might either be partially lifted, totally lifted, or extended anew, depending on the IATF-EID’s recommendations that will be transmitted to Duterte.
The government has to consider five parameters, which include the “trends in the Covid-19 epidemiological curve, the capacity of the health care system, and the social, economic, and security factors,” in deciding on the fate of ECQ in Luzon.
Not powerless vs. Covid-19
Nograles maintained that the country’s fight against Covid-19 would be successful if everyone cooperates with the government.
He said the country is “not powerless” against Covid-19 because there are several ways to arrest the spread of the contagion.
He said Covid-19 deaths could be prevented when people heed the government’s quarantine protocols.
“Each loss cannot be quantified; they hurt us all. But we are not powerless against this disease; we can do something about it,” Nograles said.
Nograles then reiterated his call on the public to follow the ECQ guidelines.
“Sundin ang ECQ. Manatili sa bahay, Mag-hugas ng kamay (Follow ECQ. Stay at home. Wash your hands),” he said.
The Philippines has so far reported 5,878 Covid-19 infections, with 387 deaths and 487 recoveries.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1100259
Nograles merely dismissed as “fake, false, and untrue” the supposed plan to extend the ECQ anew.
“Napakalayo sa katotohanan (This is far from the truth). This is totally false, totally untrue, totally fake. So huwag na po nating patulan iyan (Just ignore it),” he said in a virtual presser aired on state-run PTV-4.
Nograles issued the statement after being asked if he had really informed businessmen about President Rodrigo Duterte's willingness to order another extension of ECQ until mid-May.
Nograles reiterated that the small group formed by Duterte has yet to present its possible recommendations with regard to ECQ’s fate.
He added that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) still has to deliberate on the recommendations that will be presented by the small group.
“Sa Lunes, pagu-usapan namin at ire-rekomenda pa namin ito kay Pangulo. At ultimately, si Pangulo ang magde-desisyon (We will discuss it on Monday. We will then make a recommendation to the President. Ultimately, the President will be the one to decide),” Nograles, spokesperson of IATF-EID, said.
The ECQ in Luzon to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country is expected to end on April 30.
The Luzon-wide ECQ might either be partially lifted, totally lifted, or extended anew, depending on the IATF-EID’s recommendations that will be transmitted to Duterte.
The government has to consider five parameters, which include the “trends in the Covid-19 epidemiological curve, the capacity of the health care system, and the social, economic, and security factors,” in deciding on the fate of ECQ in Luzon.
Not powerless vs. Covid-19
Nograles maintained that the country’s fight against Covid-19 would be successful if everyone cooperates with the government.
He said the country is “not powerless” against Covid-19 because there are several ways to arrest the spread of the contagion.
He said Covid-19 deaths could be prevented when people heed the government’s quarantine protocols.
“Each loss cannot be quantified; they hurt us all. But we are not powerless against this disease; we can do something about it,” Nograles said.
Nograles then reiterated his call on the public to follow the ECQ guidelines.
“Sundin ang ECQ. Manatili sa bahay, Mag-hugas ng kamay (Follow ECQ. Stay at home. Wash your hands),” he said.
The Philippines has so far reported 5,878 Covid-19 infections, with 387 deaths and 487 recoveries.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1100259
Reports of Duterte extending ECQ until mid-May ‘totally untrue’ — IATF
President Rodrigo Duterte has no plans as of yet to extend the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon, Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Spokesperson Karlo Nograles assured on Saturday.
Answering a reporter’s query during the online press conference, Nograles refuted reports that he allegedly told businessmen during a briefing that Duterte was “leaning to extend the ECQ until mid-May,” stressing that it is “totally fake.”
“Nako, napakalayo sa katotothanan (that is very far from the truth). This is totally false, totally, untrue, totally fake. So ‘wag na po natin patulan ‘yan (Best not to entertain it). Fake, false, untrue. Totally,” the IATF spokesperson stressed.
The Luzon-wide ECQ, which was originally supposed to be lifted by midnight of April 13, was ordered extended by Duterte until April 30 as COVID-19 cases continue to grow both nationwide and worldwide.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday, however, said in a dzMM interview that if the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country continues, it is possible for the government to extend the ECQ beyond April 30.
The ECQ has suspended public mass transportation, prohibited mass gatherings, as well as ordered the temporary closure of some businesses, excluding hospitals, groceries, drug stores, and other establishments providing essential services.
As of Saturday, April 17, the country has recorded 5,878 COVID-19 cases including 487 recoveries and 387 deaths.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1260757/reports-of-duterte-extending-ecq-until-mid-may-totally-untrue-iatf
Answering a reporter’s query during the online press conference, Nograles refuted reports that he allegedly told businessmen during a briefing that Duterte was “leaning to extend the ECQ until mid-May,” stressing that it is “totally fake.”
“Nako, napakalayo sa katotothanan (that is very far from the truth). This is totally false, totally, untrue, totally fake. So ‘wag na po natin patulan ‘yan (Best not to entertain it). Fake, false, untrue. Totally,” the IATF spokesperson stressed.
The Luzon-wide ECQ, which was originally supposed to be lifted by midnight of April 13, was ordered extended by Duterte until April 30 as COVID-19 cases continue to grow both nationwide and worldwide.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday, however, said in a dzMM interview that if the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country continues, it is possible for the government to extend the ECQ beyond April 30.
The ECQ has suspended public mass transportation, prohibited mass gatherings, as well as ordered the temporary closure of some businesses, excluding hospitals, groceries, drug stores, and other establishments providing essential services.
As of Saturday, April 17, the country has recorded 5,878 COVID-19 cases including 487 recoveries and 387 deaths.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1260757/reports-of-duterte-extending-ecq-until-mid-may-totally-untrue-iatf
NEDA chief quits; Duque stays for now
Amid the rampage of the coronavirus pandemic in the Philippines, the Duterte administration’s chief economist resigned while its highest health authority apologized for his shortcomings which forced the Senate earlier to call for his resignation.
National Economic and Development Authority director-general Ernesto Pernia, a member of the government’s economic team, announced his resignation Friday citing personal reasons and “differences in development philosophy” with a few of his fellow Cabinet members.
Among the members of the economic cluster of the Cabinet, Pernia was vocal on his position for a gradual lifting of the Enhanced Community Quarantine on April 30 and allowing malls and public transportation to resume partial operations.
This prompted the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan to raise the question as to whether Pernia’s resignation meant the lockdown will be extended.
“Does Pernia’s resignation indicate that there will be a lockdown extension? NEDA has stood for a selective community quarantine to be able to revive the economy, instead of an indefinite and extensive lockdown,” Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said.
Elsewhere, just a day after 14 senators asked him to resign over failure of leadership, among others, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, in an interview over dzMM beamed nationwide, apologized for his shortcomings in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic which claimed the lives of almost 400 Filipinos and sickened almost 6,000 others.
Since the problem of COVID-19 is fairly new, Duque said they did not have any past experience in handling such a virus.
In Malacañang, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Duque still enjoyed the trust of President Rodrigo Duterte, despite mounting calls by several senators for him to resign.
Nograles, also Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesperson, admitted that “missteps” in the fight against COVID-19 were normal.
Nograles said members of the Cabinet expressed their support for Duque since the latter had always been straightforward when it came to assessing the COVID-19 situation.
Duque noted it was not only the Philippines, but other countries, were grappling with the virus, which had Wuhan City in Hubei province in China as the epicenter.
Regarding Duque’s admission, Senator Panfilo Lacson hoped this would be followed quickly by more proactive and positive action to address the issues and concerns raised by his own people at the DOH, as well as government and private physicians and health workers against his leadership.
“After all, it is them who have brought most of these concerns to the attention of the senators who signed the call for his resignation,” said Lacson, one of the signatories in Senate Resolution 362 which asked Duque to quit his post.
Pernia’s resignation happened at a time when the country is battling the impact of the coronavirus disease which is seen to make the economy contract to its lowest level in decades.
Duterte, who accepted Pernia’s resignation, has tapped Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua as acting secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority, Malacañang announced shortly after the resignation.
“After reflection during Holy Week, and consultations with my family and close colleagues, I have decided to resign from my post as Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning. This is due partly to personal reasons and partly to differences in development philosophy with a few of my fellow Cabinet members,” Pernia, who thanked the President for appointing him, said in a statement.
“I leave NEDA knowing that we have initiated and implemented meaningful changes that will help the country overcome these challenging times and on to a higher growth trajectory,” Pernia said.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, the head of the Duterte administration’s economic team, said he was not consulted by Pernia regarding the latter’s resignation. “No, he didn’t,” Dominguez said.
Pernia is an economist, writer and professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines School of Economics. Throughout his long career as an economist, Pernia also consulted for the World Bank, the Population Council East and South Asia Regional Office, the United Nations University, the United Nations Center for Regional Development, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, and USAid.
Pernia’s replacement, Chua, served as the chief economist and undersecretary for the proposed Strategy, Economics, and Results Group of the Department of Finance.
Chua, as DOF official, helps the government achieve its ten‐point socioeconomic agenda by providing strategic advice to the Finance Secretary and the Cabinet Economic Development Cluster, leading to the preparation of economic policy research in aid of priority reforms, and shepherding priority reforms from incubation to implementation.
Duque, in the interview, also admitted he was “really hurt” by the call of several senators for him to resign.
However, Lacson said they reached such collective decision since the coronavirus would impact both the health and economy sectors.
“Our economy is closed for how many days already? More than a month. And we extended. Our manufacturing sector, our industrial sector, infrastructure sector are not moving. So how long can our government subsidize or give doleout to those who lost their jobs?” Senate President Vicente Sotto III asked.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the President has made a decision for Duque to stay put, but expects him to work “even harder” following the call.
Nograles said: “Missteps cannot be avoided because the enemy is a novel strain of coronavirus. In this battle, missteps are normal, because number one, it’s novel, it’s a new virus.
“The world does not even know how the virus operates, how it reacts, how it moves.”
https://manilastandard.net/index.php/news/top-stories/321816/neda-chief-quits-duque-stays-for-now.html
National Economic and Development Authority director-general Ernesto Pernia, a member of the government’s economic team, announced his resignation Friday citing personal reasons and “differences in development philosophy” with a few of his fellow Cabinet members.
Among the members of the economic cluster of the Cabinet, Pernia was vocal on his position for a gradual lifting of the Enhanced Community Quarantine on April 30 and allowing malls and public transportation to resume partial operations.
This prompted the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan to raise the question as to whether Pernia’s resignation meant the lockdown will be extended.
“Does Pernia’s resignation indicate that there will be a lockdown extension? NEDA has stood for a selective community quarantine to be able to revive the economy, instead of an indefinite and extensive lockdown,” Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said.
Elsewhere, just a day after 14 senators asked him to resign over failure of leadership, among others, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, in an interview over dzMM beamed nationwide, apologized for his shortcomings in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic which claimed the lives of almost 400 Filipinos and sickened almost 6,000 others.
Since the problem of COVID-19 is fairly new, Duque said they did not have any past experience in handling such a virus.
In Malacañang, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Duque still enjoyed the trust of President Rodrigo Duterte, despite mounting calls by several senators for him to resign.
Nograles, also Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesperson, admitted that “missteps” in the fight against COVID-19 were normal.
Nograles said members of the Cabinet expressed their support for Duque since the latter had always been straightforward when it came to assessing the COVID-19 situation.
Duque noted it was not only the Philippines, but other countries, were grappling with the virus, which had Wuhan City in Hubei province in China as the epicenter.
Regarding Duque’s admission, Senator Panfilo Lacson hoped this would be followed quickly by more proactive and positive action to address the issues and concerns raised by his own people at the DOH, as well as government and private physicians and health workers against his leadership.
“After all, it is them who have brought most of these concerns to the attention of the senators who signed the call for his resignation,” said Lacson, one of the signatories in Senate Resolution 362 which asked Duque to quit his post.
Pernia’s resignation happened at a time when the country is battling the impact of the coronavirus disease which is seen to make the economy contract to its lowest level in decades.
Duterte, who accepted Pernia’s resignation, has tapped Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua as acting secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority, Malacañang announced shortly after the resignation.
“After reflection during Holy Week, and consultations with my family and close colleagues, I have decided to resign from my post as Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning. This is due partly to personal reasons and partly to differences in development philosophy with a few of my fellow Cabinet members,” Pernia, who thanked the President for appointing him, said in a statement.
“I leave NEDA knowing that we have initiated and implemented meaningful changes that will help the country overcome these challenging times and on to a higher growth trajectory,” Pernia said.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, the head of the Duterte administration’s economic team, said he was not consulted by Pernia regarding the latter’s resignation. “No, he didn’t,” Dominguez said.
Pernia is an economist, writer and professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines School of Economics. Throughout his long career as an economist, Pernia also consulted for the World Bank, the Population Council East and South Asia Regional Office, the United Nations University, the United Nations Center for Regional Development, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, and USAid.
Pernia’s replacement, Chua, served as the chief economist and undersecretary for the proposed Strategy, Economics, and Results Group of the Department of Finance.
Chua, as DOF official, helps the government achieve its ten‐point socioeconomic agenda by providing strategic advice to the Finance Secretary and the Cabinet Economic Development Cluster, leading to the preparation of economic policy research in aid of priority reforms, and shepherding priority reforms from incubation to implementation.
Duque, in the interview, also admitted he was “really hurt” by the call of several senators for him to resign.
However, Lacson said they reached such collective decision since the coronavirus would impact both the health and economy sectors.
“Our economy is closed for how many days already? More than a month. And we extended. Our manufacturing sector, our industrial sector, infrastructure sector are not moving. So how long can our government subsidize or give doleout to those who lost their jobs?” Senate President Vicente Sotto III asked.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the President has made a decision for Duque to stay put, but expects him to work “even harder” following the call.
Nograles said: “Missteps cannot be avoided because the enemy is a novel strain of coronavirus. In this battle, missteps are normal, because number one, it’s novel, it’s a new virus.
“The world does not even know how the virus operates, how it reacts, how it moves.”
https://manilastandard.net/index.php/news/top-stories/321816/neda-chief-quits-duque-stays-for-now.html
DOLE wants 30% of workers back after quarantine
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) wants a gradual return to work of employees, with only 30 percent reporting back to work after the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon is lifted.
During the Management Association of the Philippines’ webinar yesterday, Labor Undersecretary Ana Dione said the DOLE does not expect all employees to immediately be allowed to work after quarantine ends on April 30.
“We are thinking it should not be an abrupt report to work for all the workers. We are thinking of maybe gradual, about 30 percent, and then after one month, 50 percent and then 75 percent,” Dione said.
She said a gradual approach is needed as companies need to make operational adjustments.
“Companies will also have to adjust, taking into consideration occupational safety and health of the workers and also social distancing,” she said.
Luzon was placed on enhanced community quarantine to limit the movement of people and slow the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
With Luzon on lockdown, the government only allowed some establishments to continue operations.
Establishments allowed to operate during the quarantine period are manufacturers of food, essential products, medicines and medical products; retail establishments; logistics service providers; hospitals and medical clinics; food preparation and water refilling stations; delivery services; banks and capital markets; power, energy, water, information technology and telecommunications, waste disposal services; as well as exporters and business process outsourcing firms.
While these establishments could continue operations during the lockdown, they are only allowed to have a skeleton workforce.
Only that part of the supply chain of food and essential products, as well as medicine and medical products, have been allowed by the Department of Trade and Industry to operate with 50 percent workforce or higher to ensure sufficient supply.
Apart from pushing for a gradual return to work, Dione said DOLE is also planning to come up with programs for those to be laid off.
“We’re seeing that there will be a spike in unemployment rate, so we want to be in the localities, in the barangay level for that side,” she said.
The DOLE is providing assistance to workers whose incomes were affected by the enhanced community quarantine under the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).
Last April 15, DOLE closed the online application for CAMP, citing the available fund worth P1.6 billion is close to being depleted.
Since the implementation of CAMP from March 23, DOLE has provided one-time P5,000 assistance to 236,412 workers from 10,663 establishments, with total cash disbursement amounting to P1.2 billion.
DOLE will be giving cash assistance to 85,563 more workers in the coming days.
Workers’ dismay
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) claimed yesterday that workers in the formal sector got dismayed and confused over the cancelation of CAMP by DOLE.
In a statement, TUCP president Raymond Mendoza noted that a majority of such workers have not received CAMP assistance so they felt betrayed when the program was suddenly stopped.
“Because of this cash assistance stoppage, jobless ordinary workers and their families are confused and feel betrayed right now. Millions of locked down workers, particularly those who have yet to receive the cash grant, are feeling betrayed by the stoppage of their only lifeline cash assistance,” he added.
Mendoza said displaced workers felt they were “pushed into lockdown, deprived of their jobs, kept in the dark corner and left out amid hunger, poverty and fear.”
Some 1.4 million establishments and enterprises have reported to DOLE that they were affected by the enhanced community quarantine.
Mendoza said the Inter-Agency Task Force must “immediately, widely and clearly explain the matter to the ordinary workers and avoid confusion.”
OFWs to bounce back
As the government strikes a balance between public safety and the economy, authorities remain optimistic that displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) would be able to bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Secretary to the Cabinet Karlo Nograles made the statement even as economists expect that remittances from OFWs are likely to take a hit this year with the pandemic affecting the economies of almost all countries where OFWs are based.
“Well, it’s a balancing (act). Because number one, maybe, because of this crisis what will happen and you will see that the OFWs will still be there,” he said.
New opportunities will rise for Filipino skilled workers despite the downside of losing jobs abroad amid COVID-19 pandemic, Nograles said when asked about how the government is looking at unemployment and loss of remittances.
“Necessarily, there is a change in the landscape. There will be industries that will rise; there will be industries that fall. Whatever it is, the skill of the overseas Filipino will still be in demand. But now, we have to contend with balancing it that there will be no brain drain here,” Nograles said.
“We also need Filipinos in the forefront of this battle,” he added.
Nograles said the health sector will continue to be one of the major sources of opportunities for Filipinos. He also counted information technology as among the areas growing after the crisis.- With Sheila Crisostomo, Christina Mendez
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/04/18/2008098/dole-wants-30-workers-back-after-quarantine
During the Management Association of the Philippines’ webinar yesterday, Labor Undersecretary Ana Dione said the DOLE does not expect all employees to immediately be allowed to work after quarantine ends on April 30.
“We are thinking it should not be an abrupt report to work for all the workers. We are thinking of maybe gradual, about 30 percent, and then after one month, 50 percent and then 75 percent,” Dione said.
She said a gradual approach is needed as companies need to make operational adjustments.
“Companies will also have to adjust, taking into consideration occupational safety and health of the workers and also social distancing,” she said.
Luzon was placed on enhanced community quarantine to limit the movement of people and slow the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
With Luzon on lockdown, the government only allowed some establishments to continue operations.
Establishments allowed to operate during the quarantine period are manufacturers of food, essential products, medicines and medical products; retail establishments; logistics service providers; hospitals and medical clinics; food preparation and water refilling stations; delivery services; banks and capital markets; power, energy, water, information technology and telecommunications, waste disposal services; as well as exporters and business process outsourcing firms.
While these establishments could continue operations during the lockdown, they are only allowed to have a skeleton workforce.
Only that part of the supply chain of food and essential products, as well as medicine and medical products, have been allowed by the Department of Trade and Industry to operate with 50 percent workforce or higher to ensure sufficient supply.
Apart from pushing for a gradual return to work, Dione said DOLE is also planning to come up with programs for those to be laid off.
“We’re seeing that there will be a spike in unemployment rate, so we want to be in the localities, in the barangay level for that side,” she said.
The DOLE is providing assistance to workers whose incomes were affected by the enhanced community quarantine under the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).
Last April 15, DOLE closed the online application for CAMP, citing the available fund worth P1.6 billion is close to being depleted.
Since the implementation of CAMP from March 23, DOLE has provided one-time P5,000 assistance to 236,412 workers from 10,663 establishments, with total cash disbursement amounting to P1.2 billion.
DOLE will be giving cash assistance to 85,563 more workers in the coming days.
Workers’ dismay
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) claimed yesterday that workers in the formal sector got dismayed and confused over the cancelation of CAMP by DOLE.
In a statement, TUCP president Raymond Mendoza noted that a majority of such workers have not received CAMP assistance so they felt betrayed when the program was suddenly stopped.
“Because of this cash assistance stoppage, jobless ordinary workers and their families are confused and feel betrayed right now. Millions of locked down workers, particularly those who have yet to receive the cash grant, are feeling betrayed by the stoppage of their only lifeline cash assistance,” he added.
Mendoza said displaced workers felt they were “pushed into lockdown, deprived of their jobs, kept in the dark corner and left out amid hunger, poverty and fear.”
Some 1.4 million establishments and enterprises have reported to DOLE that they were affected by the enhanced community quarantine.
Mendoza said the Inter-Agency Task Force must “immediately, widely and clearly explain the matter to the ordinary workers and avoid confusion.”
OFWs to bounce back
As the government strikes a balance between public safety and the economy, authorities remain optimistic that displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) would be able to bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Secretary to the Cabinet Karlo Nograles made the statement even as economists expect that remittances from OFWs are likely to take a hit this year with the pandemic affecting the economies of almost all countries where OFWs are based.
“Well, it’s a balancing (act). Because number one, maybe, because of this crisis what will happen and you will see that the OFWs will still be there,” he said.
New opportunities will rise for Filipino skilled workers despite the downside of losing jobs abroad amid COVID-19 pandemic, Nograles said when asked about how the government is looking at unemployment and loss of remittances.
“Necessarily, there is a change in the landscape. There will be industries that will rise; there will be industries that fall. Whatever it is, the skill of the overseas Filipino will still be in demand. But now, we have to contend with balancing it that there will be no brain drain here,” Nograles said.
“We also need Filipinos in the forefront of this battle,” he added.
Nograles said the health sector will continue to be one of the major sources of opportunities for Filipinos. He also counted information technology as among the areas growing after the crisis.- With Sheila Crisostomo, Christina Mendez
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/04/18/2008098/dole-wants-30-workers-back-after-quarantine
Friday, April 17, 2020
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