RECOVERY PLAN. The National Economic Development Authority Eastern Visayas regional office in Palo, Leyte. The office said on Friday (June 5, 2020) that it has come up with a PHP14.5-billion regional recovery program to address the socioeconomic impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic in the region. (PNA file photo)
TACLOBAN CITY – The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in Eastern Visayas has come up with a PHP14.5-billion regional recovery program (RRP) to address the adverse socioeconomic impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
In a virtual press briefing on Friday, NEDA Eastern Visayas regional director and regional task force (RTF) vs Covid-19 economy cluster head Mylene Rosales said the proposal has been submitted to the central office last month, upon endorsement of the regional development council.
“It is now at the central office together with RRPs of other regions for a special session in Congress,” Rosales said.
Projects in the recovery plan were consolidated from the region’s different government agencies, state universities and colleges, and local government units, she said.
“This is important not only to address the impacts of the pandemic but also the two typhoons that hit the region last December, Ursula and Tisoy, and Typhoon Ambo last month that affected Eastern Samar and Northern Samar,” Rosales said.
NEDA, as the lead agency of the RTF’s economy cluster, also reported that from over 20,000 business establishments across the region that suspended operations at the height of the community quarantine, it now went down to around 3,000 as of May 29.
Rosales said that due to limited funds, the Department of Labor and Employment has suspended accepting applications and giving assistance to displaced workers in the region.
However, others can avail of the same benefit through the wage subsidy program of the Department of Finance (DOF), released by the Social Security System (SSS), she said.
She added that the economy cluster is still waiting for the official report from DOLE and SSS on the total number of displaced workers, who received the PHP5,000 cash assistance.
In Eastern Visayas, all six provinces have declared community quarantine in mid-March as an urgent measure to prevent the spread of the highly contagious Covid-19.
This affected the economy forcing the temporary closure of business establishments and displacing thousands of workers, Rosales said.
Since the outbreak, the region has confirmed a total of 48 cases, including 30 recoveries and zero death.
Of the total cases, 32 are from Samar, 13 from Leyte, and one each from Tacloban City and the provinces of Northern Samar and Biliran. (PNA)
