Gov’t drafting COVID-19 recovery plan

PRIORITY Construction resumes in a project at Pasay City. —RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — The government has begun consultations with civil society and private sector stakeholders in drafting a responsive and sustainable recovery plan for the novel coronavirus crisis.

In his seventh weekly report to Congress, President Rodrigo Duterte said the government would include recommendations from government agencies and representatives from the private sector in the working draft of the We Heal as One technical paper.

“We continue to conduct consultations and develop scientific tools to ensure our recovery plan will be truly responsive and sustainable in facilitating the transition to the new normal,” the President said.

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) recently held consultations with civil society groups and the private sector “to generate feedback from a wider audience.”

The Neda is incorporating recommendations and insights of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases member agencies, government interagency committees and the private sector into the draft recovery plan.

In addition, the Commission on Population and Development has prepared initial reports and data analysis on COVID-19’s impact on communities to guide the IATF in its decision-making at national and regional levels.

For its part, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies’ health study team has submitted to the Department of Finance its updated projections on COVID-19 scenarios for the entire country and for specific regions.