While the Philippine economy reels from the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic with the easing of quarantine restrictions, the months-long quarantine have created a chain reaction that led to many Filipinos losing their jobs and livelihood.
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On March 16, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the entire island of Luzon with its population of 58 million under community quarantine to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Though community quarantine measures are effective methods in flattening the infection curve, it resulted in a downturn in economic activity.
Public transport was halted and the movement of private vehicles was also regulated. Various industries were badly-hit, causing a stoppage of business operations, massive lay-offs, and cease-hiring altogether. Tourism, trade, and consumption drastically dropped during this period, and according to the Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III, 2.6 million Filipinos have already lost their jobs due to the temporary halting of operations of business establishments.
As the onsite or office-based jobs and opportunities dwindled, home-based, online jobs and livelihoods flourished as a safe and resilient way to conduct business and continue earning.
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