DTI: Two-week ECQ in NCR Plus displaced 1.5 million workers

MANILA, Philippines — At least 1.5 million workers had been displaced during the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) over the Greater Manila Area, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Thursday.

Of this number, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said some 500,000 workers already returned to their livelihoods after the quarantine status was eased to modified ECQ.

“Base dito sa talaan ng mga labor force, yung mga sectors na sarado noong ECQ, may mga 1.5 million estimate kami na na-displace na nawalan ng hanapbuhay noong panahon ng ECQ. At ngayong MECQ, base uli dito sa mga datos natin ay may mga 500,000 out of the 1.5 [million] ang nakabalik na ngayong MECQ,” Lopez said in a televised briefing.

(Based on the tally of the labor force, we estimate 1.5 million displaced workers in the sectors closed during ECQ. And now that we’re under MECQ, the data says 500,000 of the 1.5 million were able to return to their livelihoods.)

Lopez said the one million workers who remain displaced during the ECQ are expected to return to their jobs once Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna are further downgraded to general community quarantine.

With the easing of quarantine status in the so-called NCR plus, more establishments were allowed to reopen at skeleton workforce on-site.

However, establishments like those offering indoor dine-in services, indoor tourist attractions, businesses offering personal care services remain shut.

The MECQ over the NCR plus will lapse after April 30.

EDV