MANILA, Philippines — The country’s largest business group said the government does not seem to have a sound plan to save the economy from a downward spiral, as it appealed for a seat at the table during COVID-19 policy discussions.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) wants the private sector to be a part of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), as it complained about the impractical standards that the IATF imposed in the workplace.
Unrealistic work protocols are not their only gripe. The PCCI said in a statement on Thursday that its other top concerns were the limited modes of public transportation, inconsistencies in implementation and policies, weak consumer confidence, and issues with cash flow and liquidity.
“For instance, mandating the use of face shields for workers, the observance of 2-meter physical distancing and the designation of an isolation area of one room for every 200 employees, is simply not realistic in a production-line setting,” said PCCI President Benedicto Yujuico.
“We are appealing for the inclusion the private sector in the IATF. The IATF will be able to use the on-the- ground experience of the business sector to come up with a holistic approach that will make it easier for businesses to resume operation and for workers to return to work,” he said.
During the 29th PCCI-North Luzon Area Business Conference held online on Thursday, Yujuico recalled a recent meeting with the PCCI Board of Directors, wherein he complained about the lack of a coherent plan to restart the economy, several months into the pandemic.
“I then expressed the sentiment that despite our persistent call for a holistic approach that would address the need to immediately restart the economy, and, at the same time, ensure compliance with health protocols, it seems we have yet to see a coherent game-plan that will hold back the continued downward spiral of the economy,” he said.
He reiterated the need for a stimulus bill, particularly the P1.3 trillion Arise bill, or the Accelerated Recovery and Investments Stimulus for the Economy of the Philippines — which Congress and the Duterte administration pushed aside in favor of a cheaper stimulus package of at least P140 billion.
He also pushed for the passage of the Create bill, or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act, which would give corporate tax cuts and rationalize tax breaks.
In its statement, the PCCI advocated for the full resumption of economic activities, as any move short of it might keep the country longer under a recession. The pandemic and the lockdown meant to contain it had sunk the economy to its lowest in four decades during the second quarter.
“We acknowledge the hard work the IATF is doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We understand the precarious situation of our medical workers and frontliners,” Yujuico said.
“But we also need to stress that the longer our economy stays in its current state where businesses cannot function 100 percent, nor even up to 75 percent, the more protracted the recession that will follow and the more people will be permanently out of jobs,” he added.