SEIPI seeks reclassification of Laguna province to GCQ

The electronics industry, which accounts for 60 percent of the country’s total exports, has appealed to Malacanang to reclassify Laguna province from the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) status to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) given its performance in controlling the spread of COVID-19 and the economic impact brought about by the prolonged lockdown in the global industrial hub.

In an appeal letter addressed to Sec. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, Cabinet Secretary and Co-Chair of the Inter Agency Task Force on Emerging Diseases (AITF), the Semiconductor & Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) questioned how Laguna ended up in the ECQ classification when based on five criteria - health, health system, security index, poverty and unemployment, and economy – the province could very well hurdle such rules.

“How does Laguna stack up?” asked SEIPI President Dan Lachica.

Foremost, Lachica pointed out that these world-class company locators in Laguna have put in their respective plants business continuity plans, health protocols, contract tracing, daily disinfection, social distancing, wearing of face masks and personal protective equipment, hygiene and medical support guided by their corporate headquarters to respond to global pandemic. Employees have shuttle buses as a norm in the electronics industry with the help of the local government. There are also temporary housing facilities for employees.

In terms of health controls on the COVID-19, SEIPI noted that based on the guidelines for ECQ, Laguna has better performance than Batangas which has been declared under GCQ.

SEIPI pointed out that Laguna's case doubling time is 38.91 days, Batangas is 29.34 days where the GCQ guidelines is 7- 30 days. Also, Laguna's 7-day growth rate of cases is 1.78 percent while Batangas is 2.36 percent. Critical care utilization rate is at manageable level in Laguna where top-rated hospitals are at par in capability with Metro Manila.

Data also showed that the National Capital Region and Region 7 account for 81 percent of all COVID cases. All other areas of the country, of which Laguna is a very small part, represent only 19 percent. The cases are low. There is no longer an uncontrolled crisis in Laguna.

On the economic side, Laguna is an industrial hub with 14 ecozones, hosting a huge number of exportoriented multinational companies, and providing thousands of jobs for Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite residents.

Easily 70 percent of employees in the ecozone companies are residents of Laguna. Their livelihood is dependent on the continued operation of their employers. About 50 percent of our employees are unable to come to work, impacting thousands of families and rendering them dependent on government cash and grocery support. Needless to say, the business impact to these multi-national companies has been extremely high. (Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat)