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Republic of the Philippines

Region XI
Davao del Norte
Carmen National High School
Ising, Carmen, Davao del Norte

The Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Households in Our Community

Kate Marie S. Getalla
12 Humanities and Social Sciences B
Case Study for Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship
May , 2021
The Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Households in Our Community 2

Introduction

The Philippines has been severely affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

The Philippines now has 1,154,388 confirmed COVID-19 cases after the Department of

Health (DOH) reported 4,487 new cases on Tuesday, May 17. The DOH reported 110 new

deaths due to the coronavirus disease, bringing the death toll to 19,372, while the recoveries

are up by 6,383, raising total recoveries to 1,082,725. Of the total cases, 52,291 are active.

In addition to the direct clinical implications of COVID-19 transmission, there is strong

evidence that the pandemic, as well as the virus's control efforts, have had severe economic

and social consequences.

Within the barangay of Sto. Niño, COVID-19 is likely to have had a particularly negative

impact on poor urban families with children. Despite having plenty of room to exercise social

distance, our reliance on crowded transportation services, and less access to clean water

and sanitation, and work in jobs where working from home is not an option.

Overview of the Situation

On January 30, 2020, the Philippines reported its first case of COVID-19. On March 7, the

Department of Health (DOH) reported the first instance of community transmission when a

local male in the NCR's City of San Juan became infected with COVID-19 despite having no

recent international travel history.

1.1. LGU’s efforts to control the spread of the virus

To offer comprehensive leadership on the virus response, the Interagency Task Force on

Emerging Infectious Diseases was convened in January. The government issued a "code

red sub-level 2" and placed a partial lockdown on Manila on March 12th, prohibiting all

transit to and from the city. Four days later, the authorities issued a more stringent set of
restrictions across the country, dubbed "Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ)." The LGU

of

Municipality of Carmen and Sto. Niño has established rigorous quarantine measures and

other limitations in an effort to contain the virus's spread, which has quickly spread to all

areas. Because the risk and cases are low in our area, slightly less restrictive lockdown

restrictions have been established. Residents in barangay Sto. Niño can work in most

workplaces and public venues under GCQ as long as they follow social distancing

procedures. Agricultural enterprises, grocers, and utilities providers, for example, can

function at full capacity on-site. With health measures in place, such as maintaining a social

distance of one meter (3 feet) between passengers, public transportation can run at a lower

capacity. Non-essential mass gatherings are prohibited, though religious groups with up to

50% of the venue's capacity are permitted.

1.2 Government actions to provide emergency social protection.

The government has made active measures to assist households in coping with the COVID-

19 problem. The government established the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) in April,

which gives a one-time (or, in some places, two-time) payment of PHP5,000 to PHP8,000

(depending on local minimum wage) to 18 million households, making the Philippines one of

the first countries without a full national ID system to grant an emergency subsidy in

response to COVID-19. A paper-based application (the Social Amelioration Card) was used

to determine SAP eligibility, and a grievance procedure was set up to accept and manage

complaints. Approximately 800,000 displaced workers received in-kind help in the form of

food and non-food goods, as well as 10 to 30 days of employment from local government

units (LGUs). They also waived all program conditions for the flagship conditional cash

transfer program, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino (4Ps), for six months.

1.3 Government actions to ensure continuity of essential health services

During the epidemic, the Department of Health has taken steps to ensure that vital health

services are available. In April, the Department of Health (DOH) released a memorandum

with

the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

providing guidelines to local governments on how to manage COVID-19 patients while

maintaining access to other health services. Our LGU has guaranteed to establish

healthcare provider networks to ensure that all patients are directed to the right care facility,

as well as provide information on specialized referral pathways for COVID-19 and non-

COVID-19 patients, as well as telemedicine services.

1.4. Government strategy to recover and adjust to the “new normal”

LGUs, including ours, have been working on rebuilding confidence and adjusting to the "new

normal" since late March, when the Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious

Diseases launched a separate Technical Working Group (the IATFTWG), chaired by NEDA.

The IATF-TWG published "We Recover as One" in May, a comprehensive plan to reduce

the effects of the COVID-19 crisis and allow the economy to adjust to the "new normal." The

plan lays out a thorough strategy for gaining public trust through timely transmission of

reliable information, ensuring continued access to fundamental services like education, and

rebuilding the economy through targeted assistance. The plan notes that new hazards have

evolved as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, which the Philippines' government and local

governments mention in the plan requiring a revised set of priorities vis-à-vis the pre-COVID-

19 situation, with a focus on addressing the health crisis while restarting social and

economic activity.

Analysis

Despite these precautions, preliminary information suggests that the COVID-19 situation will

have serious economic and health consequences. The Philippines' economy appears to be
contracting sharply, according to macroeconomic indices. Real gross domestic product

(GDP) increased by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2020, and the International Monetary Fund

reduced its expected growth rate for the Philippines economy to negative 8.3% in October.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) conducted a statewide survey of

micro, small, and

medium companies in May and found that 71 percent of the businesses in the sample had

closed as a result of the lockdown.

2.1. Household welfare

Nearly all residents suffered severe financial consequences due to the crisis. Households

used a range of coping mechanisms. When asked how they were dealing with the financial

consequences of the crisis, the majority of residents said they had eliminated all non-

essentials. Borrowing was reported by many households, particularly from sari-sari

businesses (by purchasing products on credit) and loan sharks. Several households stated

that they have lowered their food intake or modified the kind of meals they consume (for

example, by eating less meat or eating more cheap vegetables). Many households reported

attempting to create and sell items such as masks or food on the street or online. A few

households indicated trying to sell assets, while they also indicated that finding purchasers is

challenging. Importantly, child labor does not appear to be a major coping strategy used.

The primary worries of a household are health, finances, and the education of their children.

Almost everyone indicated their family members' health or not having enough money to

survive on when questioned about their main concerns. The government's approach has

received mixed reviews. About half of the locals thought the government's response was

adequate or did not have an opinion on it, while a handful thought it had not done enough.

They also stated that the government's policy had been poorly communicated. “I know
they're trying their hardest,” several people have commented, “but they're too confusing

because they modify their guidelines so frequently.”

2.2. Social protection

SAP was distributed to the vast majority of households. A substantial percentage of 4Ps

homes said they didn't get SAP. When asked directly, a large number of homes stated that

they had received SAP. All 4Ps households should have received SAP, according to

Department of Social Welfare and Development policy. Because SAP was included as a top-

up in their normal 4Ps payment, these households most likely got it but were unaware of it.

Their comments indicate that there may have been some misunderstanding about the SAP

application process as well. SAP was more likely to be received by homes with disabled

members and families with more children. Households that received cash from their LGU, on

the other hand, were far less likely to obtain SAP. Officials from the LGU who managed the

SAP application procedure may have selected vulnerable homes who did not receive SAP

on purpose. This could also indicate that one of the initiatives was inadequately targeted.

The 4Ps, as well as help from private individuals and non-governmental organizations, are

less widespread in the sampled families. For the most part, residents said they get their

information on government initiatives primarily from television and Facebook.

2.3. Health

Only two of the houses had a confirmed case of COVID-19, while only a few of the houses

had a suspected case. A household member with COVID-19 symptoms was more likely to

be reported in households with an adult living with a disability. Furthermore, since the crisis,

the way families obtain health information has remained largely unchanged. Several people

named Facebook as a primary source of health information, albeit this may be skewed due

to the sample method. Almost every citizen was aware that some news is false, and the

majority had firsthand experience with fake news. Several people stated that they confirm
the accuracy of news by contacting the original source or reading the comments (in case the

news was shared by Facebook).

Recommendation/s

3.1. Consider additional emergency social assistance.

This indicates a critical need for increased social help. Longer-term rehabilitation measures

should be encouraged and implemented in line with the Philippine government's recovery

plan, in addition to such short-term, remedial solutions. Also, create a virtual register so that

social assistance can be delivered more quickly in the future. Given the lack of a universal ID

or social registry, SAP's rapid implementation was impressive. The Philippines was one of

the few countries in the world without a universal ID or social registration capable of

delivering an emergency cash transfer in a timely manner. Many of these issues will be

resolved with the upcoming Listahanan updates and the introduction of the new Philsys

universal ID. The Department of Social Welfare and Development may be able to evaluate

eligibility for emergency social assistance without requiring paper applications thanks to the

upgraded Listahanan, and the Philsys ID will make delivering these payments easier.

3.2. Ensure clear communication on social protection programs.

According to the data, many 4Ps households were probably unaware that they were

receiving SAP. Residents also expressed dissatisfaction with the application process for

social assistance programs. The IATF-TWG “We Recover as One” notes that “the most

important information that must be provided immediately are Response measures, namely:

(a) general COVID-19 situation, spread, and treatment; and (b) ongoing social protection

and support measures or interventions. More than the basic information and general

statements on these topics, people need to know the details of how they can access

treatment and avail of social protection measures.” The document "We Recover as One"
also includes various suggestions for ensuring effective communication. Adoption of these

recommendations would help to ensure that our citizens are aware of the many social

assistance programs available and how to apply for them.

3.3. Use barangay health workers and telehealth to deliver health services.

Health-related visits have decreased dramatically, according to the data. This gap can be

filled with the help of barangay health workers (BHWs) and telehealth counseling. In

locations with high COVID-19 cases, the United Nations Population Fund suggests that

programs like ANC

be offered through a combination of face-to-face and phone-based counselling, with at least

four face-to-face interactions. BHWs in our barangay exhibited their ability to provide

doorstep health care during COVID-19 and could be used to ensure that all residents receive

care with at least four face-to-face interactions. In certain locations, BHWs have already

been required to do extra activities such as contact tracing. Additional remote training on

how to give other health services, as well as a communication allowance, should be

provided to BHWs to compensate for the extra workload and effort.

Conclusion

COVID-19 appears to have resulted in significant income decreases among households in

our town and across the country, according to resident data. Almost every household

surveyed has experienced a loss of income. Fortunately, data shows that the government's

emergency social assistance initiatives were successful in reaching many households.

Nearly all homes received food help from LGUs, while the majority of households received

SAP. This study also highlights possible challenges with SAP awareness and targeting of

either SAP or cash from local governments. The majority of 4Ps households (all of whom

were supposed to receive SAP) indicated that they did not receive it, owing to a lack of

communication on how SAP would be provided.

Furthermore, the crisis has resulted in a significant shift in the overall health system's focus.

Data show that access to several vital health treatments has decreased in the Philippines as

a substantial section of the health system is allocated to the direct management of COVID-

19 cases. Furthermore, real concerns exist about mental health difficulties. Overall, these

findings offer insight on COVID-19's impact on households in our community and across the

Philippines. Over the next few months, central and local governments will be faced with a

slew of decisions that will have far-reaching consequences well into the future. The

government would be able to make these judgments based on the most up-to-date facts if it

had access to

accurate and timely data. Only when such data is available will the government be able to

propose evidence-based remedies to assist households in recovering from their losses and

returning the country and its residents to prosperity.

While the government is providing the leadership required to respond to COVID-19's social

and economic consequences, given the gravity of the situation, a joint effort is also required

to achieve an effective and long-term response. Solidarity on a local, national, and global

level is critical. Human capital investments, particularly in children, youth, and women,

should be increased now more than ever as they drive the nation's future economic growth,

prosperity, stability, and sustainability.

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