Focus on pandemic response instead of ‘propaganda’ –Robredo

Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday called on the government to focus on improving its pandemic response instead of “propaganda” after the Philippines posted a -8.3% gross domestic product (GDP) during 2020's fourth quarter.

“Sasabihin natin, ‘dahil may pandemic.’ Totoo. Worst ito dahil may pandemic. Pero pagpapakita din ito ng quality ng response natin. Kasi iyong mga katabi nating bansa, may pandemya din sa kanila eh. Lahat naman tayo tinamaan ng pandemya, pero bakit sila mas maayos kaysa sa atin,” she said in her weekly radio show.

“So para sa akin, dapat sana iyong response— Huwag na tayo sa propaganda. Iyong response dapat, tinutugunan kung paano mare-resolve nang mas maaga. Kasi mas matagal iyong ganito, mas marami tayong mga kababayan na maghihirap,” she added.

Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua said COVID-19 “disrupted” the country’s growth momentum and development trajectory.

The contraction was attributed to the drop in the performance of construction (-25.3%), other services (-45.2%), and accommodation and food service activities (-42.7%).

The figures brought the 2020 GDP to a record low -9.5%.

Last year, the International Monetary Fund forecast that the Philippines would lag behind its peers in Southeast Asia due to the pandemic.

Moody’s Analytics also projected earlier this month that the Philippines would not be able to keep up with the rest of the Asia Pacific in terms of recovering from the economic impact of COVID-19.

“Sana instead na magdepensa tayo, tanggapin natin. Tanggapin para maaksyunan nang maayos,” Robredo said.

“Mas mabuti sana na hanapan na ng paraan. Hanapan na ng paraan para iyong mga forecast sa atin na masama, hindi mangyari, ‘di ba? Kasi iyong forecast talaga, hindi maganda.” — DVM, GMA News