Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday urged the government to implement clear long-term plans amidst the pandemic, saying the current response, including the distribution of relief goods during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and several other areas, “lacked planning.”
In a radio interview with RMN Zamboanga on August 16, Cayetano emphasized the need for “predictable” COVID-19 response plans especially since the effects of the latest lockdown are far-reaching.
“What about yung jobs na nawala? What about six months from now? One year from now? Five years from now? Kailangan po natin ng isang plano na predictable,” he said.
(What about the jobs that have been lost? What about 6 months from now? One year from now? Five years from now? We need a plan that is predictable.)
Citing Zamboanga City, Cayetano said the government should create plans for its agriculture and tourism industries while the pandemic is still raging.
“For example, sa agriculture. Sa Zamboanga, saan y’ung agricultural [lands]? Ilan dyan y’ung hindi irrigated, kaya ba ng isang taon yan or tatlong taon yan? Sa tourism, dahil naapektuhan, may mga lugar ba tayo dyan na kaya nating ayusin habang mayroong pandemic? Magkano gagastusin dyan?,” he said.
(Let’s take agriculture as an example. In Zamboanga, where are the agricultural lands? How many are not irrigated, and can that be done in one year or three years? In tourism, because that was affected, are there places that can be improved during the pandemic? How much would be spent?)
He said implementing such policies would steer the private sector into making investments that could aid the country’s economy.
“Kapag ganoon ang style mo, maprepredict mo, madaming mag-iinvest,” he said.
(If that’s your style [in leadership], where you can predict [the outcome], many investors will come in.)
