Duterte to convene Cabinet to discuss economy, public transport -Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte will convene all Cabinet members on October 12 to discuss the further reopening of the economy and public transport challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Duterte set the Cabinet meeting after Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua tackled during a meeting at the Palace on Monday the effects of the pandemic on Filipinos such as an increase in hunger incidence and malnutrition among children, according to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

Chua then said the Philippines should further open up its economy, which plunged into a recession this year.

“Ito po ang dahilan kung bakit nagpatawag po ang Presidente ng full Cabinet meeting sa susunod na Lunes po, alas-kuwatro ng hapon para i-discuss pa po itong mga option para lalo pang buksan ang ekonomiya at bigyan ng kasagutan iyong kawalan ng transportasyon,”  Roque said.

It will be the first time for Duterte to hold a full Cabinet meeting since March 2.

Last week, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) backed the recommendation of the economic development cluster for a further gradual reopening of the economy “in increments proportional to the healthcare capacity of the country.”

The IATF, which is largely composed of Cabinet officials, also supported the further reopening of public transportation “in such manner that is sufficient and safe to the public following health expert’s guidance on minimum health standards.”

The Philippine economy shrank by a record 16.5% in the April to June period when lockdowns meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19 shut down around 75% of the economy, according to the government.

The last time the Philippines suffered two consecutive quarters of economic contraction was in 1991. -NB, GMA News