The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) has expressed support behind calls to “de-escalate” most parts of the country from general community quarantine to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
In particular, the group said it supports the proposed easing of restriction being pushed by the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Economic and Development Authority, saying the move will help quickly and decisively revive the Philippine economy, while still upholding health protocols such as the wearing of face masks and social distancing to control the spread of Covid-19.
“We need to ideally implement a balance of economic survival and public health safeguards. We support initiatives and progressive reforms to accelerate Philippine economic recovery and sustainability,” the group said.
All sectors should support reforms that promote our Philippine food security, and cooperate to help ensure stable food prices as we start to work Philippine economic recovery this year,” FFCCCII President Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong said in a news statement.
Under Section 5 of the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, areas under MGCQ should comply with minimum public health standards.
Outdoor activities such as sports and recreation are allowed under the MGCQ.
More importantly, it states that work in all public and private offices may be allowed to resume physical reporting to work at full operating capacity, with alternative work arrangements for persons who are 60 years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks and pregnant women.
Lim also hailed the Department of Agriculture led by Secretary William Dar‘s plan to offer loans to market vendors and financial aid to hog transporters severely affected by the two-month price cap on pork and chicken products in Metro Manila.
“We also commend the government strategy of allocating P27 billion worth of assistance for commercial hog raisers to help them repopulate in their area. The temporary pork supply shortfall is not just here in the Philippines, it is a regional challenge since 2018, so government reforms seeking to boost hog production are very positive steps,” said Lim.
Lim said he is hopeful of 7.5-percent economic growth this year due to improving domestic and global conditions. Among these positive factors include the coming of various anti-pandemic vaccines, gradual reopening of the Philippine economy while still upholding health safeguards, the country’s excellent macroeconomic and fiscal fundamentals, the end of Trump’s chaotic trade war pitting the world’s two biggest economies US and China with the recent Chinese New Year phone call by President Joe Biden to President Xi.
“We support policies and reforms by the government to increase the production of our hogs, chickens, and other foods, for the sake of the continued stability of supplies and prices, such as financial and technical assistance to producers and farmers, modernization of rural infrastructures under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program. Congratulations to DA, Secretary William Dar and our Filipino farmers that despite the global crisis and economic slowdown last year 2020, Philippine agriculture still registered positive growth last year and will have still a good year this 2021. One reason for this success is Secretary Dar’s ‘Plant, Plant, Plant’ program to promote food sufficiency. Congratulations also for the successful cooperation of SL AgriTech, Go Negosyo led by Secretary Joey Concepcion and DA under Secretary Dar for last year launching the Masagana 300 project to encourage and honor Filipino rice farmers who achieve 300 cavans harvest per hectare utilizing modern hybrid rice technology,” he said.