SENATE president pro tempore Ralph Recto on Monday said labor-intensive sectors should be allowed to reopen to help cushion the already stressful economic impact of having an extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in areas with high infection COVID-19 cases.
The Department of Labor and Employment has said that more than two million workers have been displaced by the ECQ, which took effect on March 17 and has been extended until May 15 in Metro Manila and several other regions.
Recto said it will be best to reopen the agriculture, construction, and manufacturing sectors “little by little” to cope with economic losses caused by the extended ECQ.
“We will have to open the economy little by little. Employers must protect their workers and consumers by adopting protocols on disinfecting (their) workplace, testing, social distancing and wearing masks,” Recto said.
Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon agreed the sectors should be allowed to resume after April 30 but “subject to social distancing and DOH guidelines and protocols.”
Drilon warned the work stoppage, which is now on its sixth week, may lead to social unrest as the families of affected workers are now going hungry.
“From the economic standpoint, I am extremely concerned of the further damage to our economy by the continued lockdown of the agriculture, manufacturing and construction sectors. These are essential industries. The workers in these sectors are mostly daily paid workers who had no income and affected by the six-week lockdown,” Drilon said.
“From the health standpoint, those companies in the agricultural plantations, in the manufacturing and construction sectors should have a rapid and mass testing of their workers to determine whether or not they are affected with the corona virus,” he added.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA) pushed for the promotion of the agriculture and aquaculture sectors.
In a statement, CBCP-NASSA Chairman Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said it is time to strengthen the two sectors to help the country attain food security amid the crisis.
“The present crisis brought by COVID-19 compels us to ensure that each Filipino family is secured with ample supply of basic food requirement and this can only be provided if the agriculture and aquaculture sectors are given priority,” said Bagaforo.
“Our food industry needs to be supported most importantly by our agriculture and aquaculture sectors. We will triumph in this crisis if we can ensure that no Filipino family experiences hunger,” he added.
Aside from food security, the prelate said giving focus to agriculture and aquaculture will provide the necessary help to farmers and fisherfolk, respectively. He noted that these are the two poorest sector in the country.
“It’s about time we strengthen our programs on food security by providing the needed support to farmers and fisherfolk,” he said.
MARTIAL LAW
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday said he is in favor of declaring martial law if the New People’s Army (NPA) continue to attack local government officials and troops involved in the delivery of assistance to families affected by COVID-19.
In a television interview, Año noted the series of atrocities that NPA rebels have launched against authorities during the crisis, the latest of which was on Tuesday last week in Maria Aurora town in Aurora where soldiers securing the distribution of the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP) were ambushed, resulting in the death of two soldiers and the wounding of five other troops.
Also an April 19 in Himamaylan City in Negros Oriental, soldiers who were securing residents receiving their cash aids were attacked by rebels, leaving three soldiers, including a junior officer, dead and four others injured.
Año said the rebel atrocities has already prompted President Duterte to threaten last week that he will declare martial law if the attacks persist. The President also reiterated his vow to end the NPA before his term ends in 2022.
“Kung dumating ang pagkakataon na ‘yan, talagang susuportahan natin ang Pangulo (When that time comes, we are definitely supporting the President),” Año said, referring to the declaration of martial law.
Army spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala said Army troops are doing their best to balance their twin mission of implementing the government’s anti-COVID-19 measures and going after enemies of the state.
“We’re doing our best to balance our two missions — the mission of supporting the PNP against COVID and our security and stability operations which is equally important. While doing ECQ, we must also be prepared to conduct operations against our enemies,” said Zagala, referring to the NPA and other threat groups.
Zagala said that while the government has been tried in battling the virus pandemic, specifically from March 16 to April 23, a total of 37 “alarming” skirmishes have been recorded with NPA rebels and Abu Sayyaf members. — With Gerard Naval and Victor Reyes