Pandemic brings economic gloom

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Big and small businesses in the province and city of Iloilo are not spared from the increasing threats of the coronavirus outbreak as border restrictions and community quarantine in Panay Island could lead to huge losses and disruption of Iloilo’s once booming economy.

“We are expecting losses, you will not be operating on a normal transaction and the community quarantine is such a long period. But it goes with everybody, we don’t really have a choice,” Maria Victoria Lea Lara, executive director of Iloilo Business Club (IBC), said on Monday.

Travel between the provinces of Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras including, Iloilo City and Roxas City, have been restricted to prevent the movement of people and the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Beginning April 1, 2020, a Panay-Guimaras-wide community quarantine will take effect as provinces will continue to shut down its borders.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has requested malls and business establishments in the city to shorten their operating hours in support of the community quarantine.

According to Lara, protocols and the suspension of classes caused significant drop in the sales of businesses such as malls, restaurants, and even the transportation sector.

“Our local economy is service oriented and now we are reeling from the huge drop of sales and bookings in taxis and malls including those small businesses renting inside the malls,” she said.

Lara also expressed concern on the possible delay in deliveries of food and non-food raw materials to Iloilo City following the enhanced community quarantine imposed in Metro Manila and Luzon.

“There are food, medicine supplies, raw materials, office supplies and other non-food materials that might take several weeks for the shipment. Trucks coming in from Manila will also surely face delays following the strict border restrictions. The logistic supports and supplies needed by the restaurants and other establishments will be significantly affected,” she said.

As much as they want to fulfill their mandate to remain open, the business sector is now uncertain who will they service as the fear of the outbreak has forced Ilonggos to stay home.

“While we want to follow our mandate to open, but who will we serve? No one is leaving their houses. We don’t really know,” Lara lamented.

One of the leading taxi operators in the city, Light of Glory Taxi has announced that it might temporarily stop operations amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Another popular restaurant, Tatoy’s Manokan and Seafoods Restaurant, also announced the temporary closure of its branches in Cabatuan town and Brgy. San Rafael in Mandurriao district.

Happy C. Abenir spokesperson of Iloilo Hotels, Resorts, and Restaurants Association (IHRRA) said the tourism sector in the metro is taking a big hit from the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, especially with the suspension of domestic and international flights.

“We are really taking a big hit especially in the tourism sector because there are already no flights coming in Iloilo and there is less movement of people. Accommodation sector, local hotels, and travel tours are all crying for help because there are no tourists and customers,” Abenir said Tuesday.

If the situation worsens, both Lara and Abenir anticipate the closure of business establishments and cutting of employees.

“We anticipate job losses and it is a real scenario if this will continue. The business establishments are working together to keep their employees,” Lara said.

Both IHRRA and the Iloilo Business Club are now looking for ways to cushion the impact of the coronavirus outbreak especially to the workers.

“We are balancing the business side and how to maintain the work force at a level that the business can survive. We are aware of the plight of the workers and the business sector is doing all it can do in terms of saving the employees,” Abenir added.

Lara said they are now arranging flexi-work schedules for the workers amid the restrictions in the metro.

For now, the two business groups assured that the sector will do their share in helping the local government unit (LGU) and the health department prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“We will abide, it is our individual responsibility. While we provide as much as service as we can, we follow the rules imposed by the local and national agencies because part of our mandate is really to protect our consumers,” Lara said.

“We are looking at what we can do particularly in areas which needs assistance and of how we will be able to help. We are closely coordinating with LGU and DOH. Despite this, IHRRA remains optimistic that with everyone’s cooperation, we can overcome this situation,” Abenir said.