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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society
ON A SLUMP INDULGE A2
VOL.12 ISSUE 260 • THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020
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COVID-19 slows down Davao Region’s imports By MAYA M. PADILLO avao Region is experiencing an economic slump blamed on the impact of coronavirus on the importation activity of the region.
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Arturo Milan, regional governor of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), revealed that 25 percent of all the region’s imports are from China according to statistics. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) recently reported that the major sources of Davao
Region’s imports are China, Taiwan, Japan, USA, Vietnam, and Indonesia. “With the lockdown being instituted by China in most of their key cities to prevent the spread of the virus, our imports of raw materials and �inished goods are also heavily affected,” Milan said. The region’s top �ive
imports were medium oils such as lamp kerosene, aviation turbine fuel and lubricating oils; light oils such as motor spirit, premium leaded, unleaded and regular; boxes, cases, and crates; urea; and semi-chemical �luting paper, in that order. “Dako-dako sad ang impact aning Covid-19 sa ekonomiya sa Davao Region,” Milan said. NEDA also announced that the COVID-19 outbreak that will extend for the entire year will cut gross domestic product (GDP) growth by up to
1 percentage point this year. NEDA Secretary Ernesto Pernia was also quoted saying that the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak could reduce GDP growth by 0.3 percentage point to one percentage point this year. Milan added that another industry that is greatly affected is the region’s tourism industry due to numerous conferences and conventions that are being cancelled. “Una jud naapektohan ang atong tourism industry kay kadaghanan dili na
gusto mo-biyahe tungod sa hadlok nga ma-infect sa virus. Daghan na ang cancellation sa mga hotels especially katong dagko nga conventions and conferences. Even atong mga restaurants wala na kaayo manga-on,” he said. Milan said stakeholders should campaign not to cancel events such as conventions and conferences and con- t i n u e to encoura g e local trave l s and eat out t o patronize loc a l restaurants and eateries,
however, all precautions should be strictly implemented in all hospitality facilities. “We cannot continue to keep cancelling conventions or conferences or refrain from going out eating outside or else our economy will collapse. Many will lose their jobs and many stores will close. We need to stand and �ight this virus by not shying away from our regular routine but doing what we are supposed to do for as long as we implement the necessary protocols,” Milan said.
Empty cargo vessels waiting for their container load are docked at Sasa Port in Brgy. Sasa, Davao City. Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) regional governor Arturo Milan bared that Davao Region is currently experiencing slower economic growth due to Covid-19 and 25 percent of all the region’s imports are from China. Lean Daval Jr