In a recent interview, Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he was "pissed" at a recent Bloomberg study that ranked the Philippines 52nd among 53 economies in terms of COVID-19 resilience. However, further policy reforms could further unlock the private sector's potential to address the larger challenge of improving the country's COVID-19 resilience. Christian Gonzalez, executive vice president, International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), also stressed the urgency to achieve herd immunity to stimulate the economy. Another COVID-19 resilience indicator that must be addressed is the human development index, a key element of which, according to the Bloomberg report, is ensuring access to education. If the country is ever to leave the pandemic behind, the government must reassess its approach to ensure a well-coordinated mix of policy responses to improve COVID-19 resilience.

Source: Philippine Star July 03, 2021 03:56 UTC