It has been two weeks since the enhanced community quarantine started, but it doesn’t look like things are getting any better here in the Philippines. With the count of confirmed cases rising by the day and no proper solution in place, San Miguel Corporation President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang spoke to CNN Philippines on his thoughts on the quarantine and its impact on businesses.
Since the start of the quarantine, businesses all over the country have been closed. Only private establishments that provide basic necessities remain open, putting a real dent in the pockets of many business owners. Despite this, Ang says he fully supports extending the quarantine if it means more lives will be saved from COVID-19.
Ang points out that lives are more important than money. “We can make money again but life, once you lose it, it’s gone forever. So between life and money, I’d choose life,” he says. “We have to be sure that when we’re going to lift it on April 15, we have already flattened the curve.” Ang suggests extending the quarantine to the end of the month or even until May 15.
Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice had previously proposed a 1-month extension of the ECQ, as well, to avoid a resurgence of the virus. As of posting, there are 3,211 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines, 96 people deaths, and 50 recoveries.
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