Duterte’s economic managers urged to ready stimulus package to counter coronavirus

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. INQUIRER PHOTO/CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has called on the economic managers of the Duterte administration to craft a stimulus package to cushion the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the Philippine economy.

“While the COVID-19 pandemic is being contained by DOH (Department of Health), Duterte’s economic managers must start coming together to study/draft a possible stimulus package for the heavily affected industries such as tourism, airlines, etc,” Trillanes said in a statement.

“At least, just enough to keep them from laying off workers,” he added.

The former lawmaker said the economic managers must be “as proactive as the healthcare workers in trying to contain this crisis.”

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia earlier said the outbreak may put at risk the government’s 6.5-7.5 gross domestic product (GDP) growth target if it drags on for a year.

The Department of Tourism is now heavily promoting domestic tourism as travel restrictions have been imposed on entry from countries severely hit by the COVID-19 outbreak. The pandemic has already reached more than 70 countries globally.

The Philippines has banned all travel to and from China and its two administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau, on Feb. 2. As the country adopts the “One-China policy”, a ban was imposed on Taiwan as well but was later lifted after it  warned of possible countermeasures.

A travel ban on foreign nationals arriving from the North Gyeongsang Province is also hoisted amid the spike of COVID-19 infection in South Korea, the largest foreign tourist market of the Philippines.