Updates on the extended enhance community quarantine (ECQ).
MEASURES
- The ECQ will continue till 15 May 2020 for metropolitan Manila and half of the main island of Luzon. Some of the areas in Luzon will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ), however, the policies are yet to be clarified.
IMPACT ON FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
- The food supply remains unhampered although there are limitations on the availability of workforce especially in areas with curfew in force.
- Amid ECQ, on 27 April, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reassured public that the country has sufficient stock for rice inventory which can support demand up to March 2021.
- The DA continues to help stabilise the supply and prices of food products (pork) in Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon, by bringing these pork products to the areas. Noting that there are some challenges in transporting food products (food, frozen pork, fishery product), the DA is addressing these concerns with the local government units in order to support unhampered food supply amid the ECQ.
- On 29 April, the DA emphasised the importance in building resilience in food supply chain not only against COVID-19, but other emerging challenges. The DA will continue to roll out programmes which build on the three main principles, namely, survive, reboot and grow, to strengthen the current food supply chain.