Labella hopes Duterte will tackle economy in SONA 

Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella. | file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella hopes that President Rodrigo Duterte will address the economic impact of the pandemic in the State of the Nation Address on July 27, 2020. 

Labella said he would be expecting the President to discuss the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation in the country and how the government had addressed the pandemic. 

Although Labella said he was satisfied by how the national government had addressed the pandemic, he was eager to know how the nation’s top executive would handle the economic situation greatly affected by the long quarantine. 

“I would wish this would be discussed also on how to help revive the economy of the country as a consequence of this COVID-19, which has greatly affected the business community. Businesses are hurting,” said the mayor. 

Read more: Cebu biz groups appeal for financial support to disrupted firms, MSMEs

Labella said that the businesses had been suffering through the long quarantine, which for Cebu City had reached four months. 

Various establishments have closed due to the quarantine and thousands have lost their jobs as well. 

The mayor said he hoped the President would reveal how  the national government would prevent further unemployment. 

Labella also said he hoped the President would provide a concrete solution to the possible economic recession in the country. 

Finally, the mayor reiterated his support to the President and assured the top executive of Cebu City’s continued support to the the President’s administration’s fight against COVID-19./dbs