PCCI wants full reopening of economy; calls any form of lockdown disruptive

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s biggest business organization, is pushing for the full reopening of the economy as it argued that any form of lockdown was disruptive to businesses.

In a statement, PCCI acting president Edgardo Lacson said the business group wishes for the full opening of the economy even if the herd immunity threshold is unmet due to the moving and elusive target of 50% to 100% inoculation of the population.

“Many health experts claim it is impossible to achieve herd immunity as the virus keeps mutating and the vaccine is always behind the curve,” Lacson said.

“The COVID-19 virus and its variants will be here forever but it can be contained by simply observing prescribed health protocols of masking, handwashing, and social distancing.”

Furthermore, the PCCI chief emphasized the importance of massive and continuing vaccination, tracing and testing, and fast-tracking the development of alternative and cheap medicines against COVID-19.

“We must remove our overblown fear of this virus and the even greater fear of another lockdown,” Lacson argued.

Any form of a lockdown, whether region-wide or granular, is disruptive to business, the PCCI chief emphasized.

“It is a tacit admission by authorities that they will henceforth abandon the intermittent and harmful regional lockdown protocol. Yet, it must be recognized by authorities that a lockdown, whether region-wide or granular, remains disruptive and a disincentive to business operations,” he said.

However, Lacson was also quick to say that there was also a positive implication in the implementation of the granular lockdown which would remove the discrimination between essential and non-essential businesses as both will now be allowed to operate under certain relaxed health guidelines.

The government placed Metro Manila under a general community quarantine (GCQ) from September 8 to 30 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the looser form of quarantine restriction, granular lockdowns would be pilot tested in the capital region during the GCQ period.

Earlier, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez suggested that the granular lockdown would be better for the economy, which has been suffering due to restrictive community quarantines.

He also said that under a granular lockdown, more businesses will be allowed to operate, even as COVID-19 safety protocols are strictly enforced. — DVM, GMA News