Businessmen have agreed to a proposed lockdown next month to control the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of coronavirus, an economic adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday, citing the need to shield the holidays, where spending is traditionally the highest.
Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said the country has to "move quickly" if it would go into lockdown mode again to avoid overwhelming the healthcare system, and further damage to the economy.
"If we have to do it, let us do it. Let us prepare for it. We have to be decisive. We have to move quickly," he said in a statement.
Concepcion made the remark just days after the Philippines confirmed last week the local transmission of the Delta variant of coronavirus, which has fueled surges in infections and prompted lockdowns in neighboring Southeast Asian countries.
Concepcion said he consulted business leaders on the proposed lockdown, noting the importance of avoiding a lockdown during the holidays -- where spending typically increases.
"It is the most important quarter of the year. This is where consumers spend Christmas. Election spending will also come. Most businesses who lost their income from the previous months will be able to recover," he said.
It was in April this year when the government revived lockdowns in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces due to a surge in COVID-19 cases that were attributed to variants and vaccine complacency.
President Rodrigo Duterte is set to decide before the end of July on the new community quarantine classifications for the month of August.
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