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“Radiating positivity, creating connectivity” CEBU BUSINESS Room 310-A, 3rd floor WDC Bldg. Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City You may visit Cebu Business Week WEEK Facebook page. February 8 - 14, 2021 Volume 3, Series 73 www.cebubusinessweek.com 12 PAGES P15.00 FEAR V. SLUMP, FOOD CRISIS Business leaders worry on lack of food supply, lack of money THE country is facing vived back to a category before By: ELIAS O. BAQUERO tive GDP in the 4th quarter. thorities need cooperation economic depression because Covid-19 hit the country. The people are encour- from the public especially that of lockdowns imposed by “So, while we might hit ernment to impose high tax- aged to join urban gardening, several people are roaming the government to control sa rock bottom, the question is es to idle lands to encourage or massive food production in around the city unmindful of Covid-19 pandemic, said Cebu on when the economy will landowners to make their the countryside to prevent fur- Covid-19 and they wear their business leaders. bounce back,” Tan said. property productive and in- ther food crisis. mask below their nose. The business leaders also Tan does not believe that crease food production. There For his part, Felix Tagu- “I urge the people not to expressed alarm of an immi- those who are engaged in the are vast track of idle lands. iam, the president of the Cebu forget the main health proto- nent food crisis due to the lack business of power, water and Earlier, businessman Rey Chamber of Commerce and col like face mask, hand-wash- of food supply and the lack of food are the only ones to survive E. Calooy of the Filipino-Cebua- Industry (CCCI), said that 85 ing and social distancing so money for the people to af- because these are support to the no Business Club, said that one percent of our businesses have Covid-19 will be eliminated and ford the skyrocketing prices of industry. If the industry will be basis for declaring economic reopened. that will result to the revival of commodities. down, they will be affected. depression is at least three suc- But he said the problem is the economy,” Taguiam said. Businessman Philip Tan Tan noted the food crisis cessive economic recessions. the low consumer confidence On the other hand, busi- said that last December, his that the people are currently The National Economic and consumer spending. nessman Bunny Pages said the economic forecast was nega- facing. and Development (NEDA) “The people are afraid to survival of a businessman will tive 10 percent Gross Domes- “There is actually a short- 7 reported that the negative go out for fear of contracting depend on his business venture. tic Product (GDP) for the last age of food right now. Our food economic growth last year Covid-19. But for the past two “I said a long time ago, quarter of 2020. security is crucial to the eco- were: negative two percent weeks, the number of Covid-19 that we are facing the same “The actual computation nomic recovery. The ordinary GDP in the first quarter of cases was increasing. We have storm, but we are on board on of the government economic people cannot anymore man- 2020; 16.5 negative GDP in to be careful that what hap- different boats. So, each one of managers is negative nine per- age to pay for food because their the second quarter; 15.5 per- pened last year will not be re- us will look at our situation,” cent plus on GDP. So, my pre- savings are depleted,” Tan said. cent negative GDP in the 3rd peated,” Taguiam said. Pages said. diction was bullseye,” Tan said. He suggested for the gov- quarter; and nine plus nega- Taguiam added that au- He said that last March Tan, a past president of 20, 2020, all businesses were Mandaue Chamber of Com- closed. Thousands of workers merce and Industry (MCCI) lost their jobs. and management representa- He said they were able to tive to the Regional Tripartite reopen last September 2020. Wages and Productivity Board We were able to build momen- (RTWPB), said that if we will tum. be back to normal and we “Unfortunately, the ones reach the bottom, there is no inside the malls failed to pick other way but to go up. up due to lack of customers. He said that when this This might be the result of pandemic will temper, and we authorities urging the people hit the bottom, the tendency is to avoid air- conditioned plac- for the economy to grow. His es. It’s better for us that our only concern is if the economy restaurants are outside the will stagnate and cannot be re- mall,” Pages said. 2 February 8 - 14, 2021 Cebu Business Week NEWS Rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in CV this February: DOH THE Philippine gov- efficacy of the COVID-19 vac- ernment is set to rollout the cines that will be used in the COVID-19 vaccines in the country’s vaccination pro- latter part of February, said gram. She assured the public Department of Health (DOH) that the COVID-19 vaccines to Undersecretary Maria Rosa- be used under the Emergency rio Vergeire. Use Authority (EUA) and the In a press release to Cebu clinical trials underwent very Business Week, Vergeire rigid processes to ensure the made the disclosure during safety and efficacy. the Mugstoria Ta, an online The current vaccines, she conversation hosted by As- said, reduce the risk of severe sistant Secretary Anthony disease and risk of death, and Gerard ‘Jonji’ Gonzales of the are most suited for those with Office of the Presidential As- higher risk of exposure and sistant for the Visayas. death. According to the Currently, Pfizer and As- COVID-19 Vaccines Glob- traZeneca have already been al Access (COVAX) Facility, granted with an Emergen- 117,000 Pfizer vaccines are cy Use Authorization (EUA) expected by second or third from the Food and Drug Ad- week of February, the health Celsius, DOH 7 and Vicente other hand, the Astra-Zene- added. ministration (FDA) for their official disclosed. Sotto Memorial Medical Cen- ca vaccines have to be kept at Bernadas also disclosed eventual public roll-out in the Meanwhile, DOH 7 Di- ter (VMMC) are each acquir- two to eight degrees Celsius. that a simulation exercise for country. Those who received rector Jaime Bernadas said ing freezers capable of minus Bernadas said the VSM- the vaccination rollout will be EUAs have gone through his office has an existing cold 80 degrees Celsius. The VSM- MC freezer, which has a ca- conducted on February 10. stringent scientific and regu- storage facility at two to eight MC is a designated COVID pacity of 400,000 vaccines The activity, which includes latory processes to verify their degree Celsius with a capaci- hospital. at minus 80 degrees Celsius, Cebu and Davao, will be in safety and efficacy. ty of up to 3.5 million COVID Pfizer vaccines need to be will be delivered on Monday preparation for the rollout of There are three other vac- vaccines. stored at minus 70 degrees or Tuesday. The DOH 7 freez- the vaccines from the nation- cine makers that have applied To accommodate COVID Celsius while Moderna vac- er with a similar capacity will al hub to the regional hub. for EUA and are now being vaccines that need to be cines can be stored at minus also arrive next week to pro- Vergeire also gave as- processed, Vergeire said./ stored at minus 70 degrees 20 degrees Celsius. On the vide redundancy capacity, he surance over the safety and PR/ELIAS O. BAQUERO Palace finalizing rules for senior citizens law: Quijano THE National Com- purchased by the government senior citizens want to be in mission for Senior Citizens and expired for failure to dis- Cebu City because of several (NCSC) based in Malacañang tribute it. We remind govern- benefits like P1,000 a month is now finalizing the Imple- ment agencies concerned on financial assistance. menting Rules and Regula- their need of wellness and The National Govern- tions (IRR) of Republic Act welfare,” Quijano said. ment has allocated annual 7432 (Senior Citizens Act) to He said that they are still budgets for senior citizens consolidate all goals and pro- in the process of finalizing under the General Appropri- grams. the IRR of RA 7432. ations Act through the differ- NCSC Chairman Frank- “As NCSC chairman, I lead ent agencies like Department lin Quijano said that his of- the making of a good orga- of Social Welfare and Devel- fice wants to consolidate all nizational structure. We will opment (DSWD), Depart- goals and programs for se- put up NCSC officials in ev- ment of Health (DOH), Phil- nior citizens in the country ery city and municipally and health, Department of Agri- for uniform processing and require all municipalities and culture (DA), and Technical releasing of benefits. cities to connect to all senior Education and Skills Devel- Quijano said RA 7432 citizens,” Quijano said. opment Authority (TESDA) is giving importance to se- Some Local Government among others. nior citizens because they Units (LGUs) have Office of But Quijano said the new were once involved in nation the Senior Citizens Affairs law provides that all these building, contributing their (OSCA), but some have none funds for senior citizens in energy, talents and skills especially if funds are limit- the different government during their prime time. NCSC CHAIRMAN ATTY. FRANKLIN QUIJANO ed. agencies will be transferred Quijano is a Cebuano, Quijano said that every to NCSC for consolidation.