Adopting the Ten-Point Policy Agenda to Accelerate and Sustain Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic

March 21, 2022

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 166

ADOPTING THE TEN-POINT POLICY AGENDA TO ACCELERATE AND SUSTAIN ECONOMIC RECOVERY FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND DIRECTING A WHOLE-OF-GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO ALIGN ALL ECONOMIC RECOVERY PROGRAMS AND MEASURES OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected the economy of the country, leading to loss of jobs, productivity and income;

WHEREAS, data gathered by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) show that at the height of the pandemic in 2020 (i) 10.1% of businesses temporarily closed, and 0.4% permanently ceased operations; (ii) unemployment swelled to around 8.7 million Filipinos; (iii) the loss of household wage and income amounted to PhP1.04 Trillion, or an average of PhP23,806.00 per worker; and (iv) hunger incidence increased to 1 in 4 families in the National Capital Region;

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has impeded the country's three (3) decades of uninterrupted growth, contracting its gross domestic product (GDP) by as much as -9.6% in 2020;

WHEREAS, key findings of the NEDA suggest that the pandemic will have long-term adverse effects on consumption and investment, workers' productivity, and general wellness of Filipinos;

WHEREAS, despite the pandemic's negative consequences, swift Government response has enabled the economy of the country to grow faster than most forecasts in 2021 and surpass government targets, with the GDP growing by as much as 12% in the 2nd quarter, 6.9% in the 3rd quarter, and 7.7% in the 4th quarter of the year, signaling that the country is on track to rapid recovery despite the impact of various natural hazards, including the Typhoon Odette;

WHEREAS, the robust economic expansion has been mainly driven by the risk management strategies of Government, particularly by allowing the economy to further reopen safely, while implementing measures such as the acceleration of the Government's vaccination program, and a shift to the alert level system and granular lockdowns;

WHEREAS, studies show a decreasing trend in COVID-19 fatality ratios notwithstanding cyclical case surges, due mainly to the continued roll-out of vaccination programs, leading certain countries such as the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand to treat COVID-19 as endemic for the purpose of minimizing mass societal disruptions, thereby fully opening schools and removing mobility restrictions;

WHEREAS, the Economic Development Cluster has recommended the adoption of the Ten-Point Policy Agenda to accelerate and sustain the country's economic recovery;

WHEREAS, the Updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 includes health system improvement, food security and resiliency, learning continuity, digital transformation, and regional development through the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program, as major programs designed to build the resilience of individuals, families, businesses, government and society under the new normal;

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to adopt policies on economic recovery to sustain current economic gains, minimize the pandemic's long-term adverse effects, and restore the country's development trajectory; and

WHEREAS, Article VII, Section 17 of the Constitution provides that the President shall have control of all executive departments, bureaus and offices;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Adoption of the Ten-Point Policy Agenda on Economic Recovery. — The State hereby adopts the Ten-Point Policy Agenda to sustain and accelerate economic recovery, and to drive broad-based expansions across various productive sectors, in the midst of challenges brought about by the continued persistence of COVID-19. Subject to strict compliance with minimum public health standards, all Government departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and state universities and colleges, are directed, and local government units (LGUs) are enjoined, to ensure that all related policies, measures and programs are aligned with the following principles:

1. Strengthen Healthcare Capacity. The National Government shall take appropriate measures to expand the healthcare capacity across the country, and align with the global standards of health workers and other health resources to population ratios;

2. Accelerate and Expand the Vaccination Program. The National Government shall ensure that vaccination sites are expanded, artificial barriers to vaccination are reduced, and procedures relating thereto are streamlined. Subject to existing laws and regulations, restrictions on the use of vaccine stocks by the private sector shall be reduced;

3. Further Reopen the Economy and Expand Public Transport Capacity. Economic and social activities shall be safely resumed, while maintaining the current alert level system, removing age-based restrictions on mobility, and further expanding public transport capacity;

4. Resume Face-to-Face Learning. The National Government shall strengthen efforts towards the safe resumption of face-to-face learning, and capitalize on the gains achieved in the conduct of pilot face-to-face schooling;

5. Reduce Restrictions on Domestic Travel and Standardize LGU Requirements. The National Government shall streamline and standardize requirements for domestic travel and local tourism, and maximize the use of information and communications technology solutions to ease related processes. Except as otherwise reasonably required by the LGU of destination, domestic travel requirements shall be limited to vaccination cards or negative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test results for unvaccinated individuals and/or an inter-scannable Quick Response (QR) Code;

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 shall ensure the interoperability of QR codes from various contact tracing applications;

6. Relax Requirements for International Travel. The National Government shall endeavor to further relax requirements relating to international travel and provide quarantine exemptions for vaccinated individuals coming into the country, in order to boost international tourism, increase foreign investments, and restore jobs in the tourism sector;

7. Accelerate Digital Transformation through Legislative Measures. The National Government shall prioritize the passage of key legislations on digital transformation to improve connectivity and facilitate the country's digital transformation;

8. Provide for Enhanced and Flexible Emergency Measures through Legislation. To complement Republic Act (RA) No. 10121 or the "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010," the National Government shall formulate and propose legislation that would allow the efficient roll-out of emergency programs during pandemics. The proposed legislation may include measures such as the establishment of a stand-by fund to be utilized during pandemics, grant of authority to re-allocate funds for pandemic response, lifting of the ceilings on the use of Quick Response Funds, relaxation of data privacy requirements, and standardization of special risk allowance, hazard pay and other reasonable forms of compensation to healthcare workers;

9. Shift the Focus of Decision-Making and Government Reporting to More Useful and Empowering Metrics. The National Government shall ensure that policies on economic recovery, as well as government reports on COVID-19 cases, primarily take into consideration the: (i) total severe or critical cases; (ii) case fatality ratio; and (iii) total vaccinations, with the objective of avoiding unnecessary changes in alert levels and encouraging people to get vaccinated; and

10. Medium-Term Preparation for Pandemic Resilience. The National Government shall formulate and develop a Comprehensive Pandemic Response Framework to ensure the country's resilience against future pandemics, taking into consideration international best practices, as well as the country's experience in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government shall likewise endeavor to strengthen health and social protection systems.

SECTION 2. Implementation of the Ten-Point Policy Agenda. — The IATF-EID and the NTF Against COVID-19 shall ensure the proper implementation of the Ten-Point Policy Agenda, and ensure alignment therewith of all measures relating to the National Government's COVID-19 pandemic response. The Economic Development Cluster, through the NEDA, Department of Finance and Department of Trade and Industry, shall be consulted prior to the implementation of all such measures.

The NTF's Working Group on Strategic Communications and the Presidential Communications Operations Office shall build public understanding of government initiatives towards adjusting to the new normal, and effectively engage the most affected sectors of the population.

SECTION 3. Monitoring. — The NEDA shall monitor compliance of concerned agencies with this Order and periodically report the same to the President, through the Office of the Executive Secretary.

SECTION 4. Separability. — Should any part of this Order be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the provisions unaffected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 5. Repeal. — All issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Order, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 6. Effectivity. — This Order shall take effect immediately after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 21st day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Two.

 

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 118, No. 13, p. 3310 on March 28, 2022.