Close to half a million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) closed down or stopped operations at the height of the lockdown, data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) showed.
That is a little more than half of the total number of MSMEs registered with the DTI.
The data, culled from the agency’s regional offices in May. Updated data are not available but a June survey showed 30 percent of the sample taken by the DTI were still closed.
The quarantine measures implemented beginning mid-March were a big challenge to companies. Restrictions have been eased in most areas by June 1.
The data showed the highest proportion of closures were registered in Region IV- B (Mimaropa), 88 percent or 20, 704; Region X (Northern Mindanao); 74 percent, 19,526; National Capital Region , 70 percent, 13,580; Region I (Ilocos Region), 70 percent, 15,363 and Region III (Central Luzon), 66 percent, 25,384.
These brought to 484,488 the number of MSM
Es that closed, or 56 percent of the 858,540 registered by the DTI.
Otheer centers of commerce also posted high proportion of closures: Region 7 (Central Visayas), 65 percent; Region 4-A (Calabarzon), 64 percent and Region VI (Western Visayas), Region V (Bicol) at 62 percent.
The data showed 30 percent of the registered MSMEs or 257,357 were in full operation and 13.6 percent or 116,695 had limited operations during the quarantine.
