We are pleased to share with you our April 2020 Occasional Paper, entitled “Bracing for the Economic Impact of COVID-19”. Authored by Paco Pangalangan, Jikko Alfonso Puzon and Venice Isabelle Rañosa of Stratbase ADRi, this paper tackles the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the Philippine economy along with policy recommendations from stakeholders including the private sector and relevant industry players.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the political and economic landscape of the region. Since the initial reported cases in Wuhan, China, its rapid global spread has been unprecedented and has brought the world to a standstill. While it is clear that COVID-19 has had an immediate impact on healthcare systems and on the health and lives of the people around the world, it is undeniable that it will have long-lasting economic effects as well. As such, this paper focuses on three specific sectors that were severely weakened by the pandemic – trade, tourism and infrastructure – in the Philippine context. The paper also highlights the importance of the private sector in cushioning the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and provides a thorough discussion of the policy recommendations supported by the Institute.

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