MANILA, Philippines—The state planning agency National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) on Monday (April 5) said the extended lockdown in Metro Manila and four provinces would prevent over 215,000 new COVID-19 cases but render at least 350,000 Filipinos jobless or poorer as a result of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the most stringent form of community quarantine.
In a statement on Monday night, acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and Neda chief Karl Kendrick Chua urged a “more intensified implementation of the prevent, detect, isolate, treat, and recover (PDITR) strategy” as the lockdown in areas accounting for half of the economy would take its toll on livelihoo…
Keep on reading: Neda: Longer ECQ in NCR Plus equals 215,000 fewer COVID-19 cases but 350,000 more jobless, poor