The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) was confident of a good economic outlook at the end of July despite the threat of the Covid-19 Delta variant that tightened quarantine protocols in Metro Manila.
NEDA Undersecretary for policy and planning Rose Edillon said on July 23 that the agency had urged the health sector to craft contingency plans in areas with local transmission of the Delta variant to increase health system capacity and handle a possible surge in cases.
“Mahalagang bagay ang seven days na ito para mag-accelerate din ‘yong ating vaccine rollout natin (The seven days are important so that the vaccine rollout will also accelerate),” Edillon said in a Laging Handa government briefing, referring to the seven-day period until July 31 during which Metro Manila was placed under general community quarantine with “heightened restrictions.”
The NEDA official also urged companies to continue “Covid-proofing” or digitalizing the processes of businesses and workspaces for a robust recovery, and to reduce face-to-face activities through alternative work arrangements.
Edillon stressed that the country’s economy in the second quarter this year was “on the mend” and was better than last year’s due to more employed Filipinos and reforms to attract strategic investments. Jelo Ritzhie Mantaring