PH Businessmen Hopeful Things Are Better this Christmas, New Year
BUSINESSMEN – A group of businessmen in the Philippines are optimistic about a merrier Christmas and New Year in the Philippines.
Many businesses in the Philippines were greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic most especially those that are offering non-essential products or services. In fact, even the essential businesses like food stores and restaurants had their share of challenges and some were not able to withstand the demands of the pandemic so they closed.
A lot of employees, some are breadwinners of their families, lost their jobs following the closure of several businesses in the country. There were week-long of closure if not month long thus some had no choice but to shut down their firms or stores as they only incur expenses with no income at all.
It has been a year now since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Currently, vaccinations against the said coronavirus disease are ongoing in the Philippines.
Amid the ongoing vaccination program against COVID-19, many businessmen in the Philippines are optimistic about a merrier Christmas and New Year. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, a group of businesses led by Go Negosyo are hopeful that population protection will be achieved by September or October.
According to Go Negosyo founder and presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, the private and public sector can push further loose restrictions even before PH achieves the herd immunity. The said population protection requires 70 million people in the country to be vaccinated.
Concepcion further expressed that the private sector may be allowed to operate in a maximum capacity if they can get 80% of their workforce vaccinated. Ayala Land’s president Carol Mills stressed the “multiplier effect of one full-time job” citing that it can be a big help for the economy of the country.
As for McDonald’s Philippines managing director Margot Torres, the important firms in the revival of the economy of the country must be given priority in the vaccination process. Her company believes it must start with the National Capital Region (NCR).
“We have to give it the number one priority and we believe it should start with NCR (National Capital Region) because the other factor we cannot control is the delta variant,” Torres said based on the report.
Michael Tan, the president and the chief operating officer (CEO) of the LT Group, expressed that the private sector is seeking for help from the government in meeting the demands of the pandemic and the increasing costs in the business field.
Currently, more than 10 million Filipinos have been vaccinated and at least three (3) million of this population is fully-vaccinated. The economy of the country struggles amid the crisis.
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