DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio assured that the local government will avoid constantly changing its policies and direction in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic next year to help the local economy recover.
Duterte-Carpio assured the local businesses on Monday, December 21, 2020, that the enforcement of health regulations will be more consistent.
“Gusto nato [maging] consistent atong regulations sa City Government of Davao, dili siya pabag-o bag-o. Because kanang [sige’g] abri-sarado, mao na siya ang disastrous para sa mga negosyante (We wanted to be consistent in our regulations in the City Government of Davao. We do not want to keep changing our policies that could cause businesses to keep on closing and reopening, which is not good for them),” the mayor said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
This was the mayor’s response when asked about the city’s plan to help the local economy recover next year.
The city suffers too much economic turmoil brought about by the strict lockdown which resulted in some businesses and offices reducing or retrenching some of its employees, or worse total shutdown due to financial constraints.
“The City Government does not want to go into ECQ [enhanced community quarantine], or MECQ [modified ECQ]. Out of the question na na siya (That is out of the question) because it will only temporarily stop ang pagsaka sa cases, but paggawas sa mga tao, mag-surge lang gihapon na siya (the increase in cases, but when people will be allowed to go out, the cases will surge again),” the mayor said.
The mayor reiterated that the city cannot afford another wider lockdown as this will disrupt the economy.
She also said the city will “reserve the use of a lockdown” if the situation deems it necessary.
She emphasized that the city’s “best direction” for now is to manage the cases in the city, “if not entirely eradicate or eliminate” the viral transmission.
Meanwhile, the mayor is hopeful that the financial assistance provided by both the local and national government could help those affected by the pandemic.
Recently, the departments of Labor and Employment (Dole), Tourism (DOT), and the Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), along with the city government’s Work for Davao continue to provide financial, and other economic opportunities to help those whose livelihood or employment had been affected by the pandemic.
“We expect kana nga mga kwarta is mabalik diri sa sulod sa atong economy sa (that the cash assistance given to them will stimulate the local economy of) Davao City, because we expect people to spend the money,” Duterte-Carpio said.
She also said the ordinances passed by the 19th City Council on the waiving or reduction of fees and charges is another way to help the business sector.
