A Social Weather Stations survey showed that most Filipinos depended on government aid, spent personal savings or took out loans for their daily expenses during the quarantine.
It was found that 39% of respondents used cash assistance — including from the government’s social amelioration program —vouchers and gift certificates, among others, for their daily expenses.
45% used the money they earned working, while the remaining 21% used what’s left of their savings and 6% used money they loaned or borrowed.
To recall, the quarantine caused widespread work suspensions which has been gradually relaxed since mid-May. Metro Manila is shifting to a general community quarantine on Monday, June 1.
Over 2.5 million Filipinos found themselves without income over the two-month coronavirus lockdown in the country, while the labor department has estimated that the number would climb to as high as 10 million over the next few months.
