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Business group backs easing quarantine restrictions, cites 'improving COVID-19 indicators'

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/business/05/13/20210512-makati-medical-center-pfizer-vaccination-gc-0305.jpg"/><figcaption>Health workers monitor people who got inoculated with the Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine of Pfizer BioNTech during its rollout at the Makati Medical Center on May 12, 2021.<em> George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - The Management Association of the Philippines on Thursday said the improving COVID-19 trend in the country could lead to further easing of restrictions.</p><p>&quot;We agree that with improving trends in COVID indicators we can further relax quarantine restrictions. We cannot let our guard down, however,&quot; said MAP National Issues Committee Chair Rizalina Mantaring in a statement. </p><p>But strict health protocols should still be observed, she said.</p><p>Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces are still under modified enhanced community quarantine until May 14. New quarantine classifications are expected to be announced late Wednesday.</p><p>Based on the latest data from the Department of Health, there has been a decline in confirmed COVID-19 cases after the peak in April. </p><p>During the first quarter gross domestic product announcement, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said recent COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila was <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/13/21/covid-cases-philippines-mecq-lifting-gcq">lower </a>compared to the previous week. </p><p>On May 12, the Department of Health <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/12/21/philippines-covid19-cases-update-may122021">reported </a>4,842 additional COVID-19, which brought the country&#x27;s total to 1,118,359. </p><p>The gross domestic product in the first quarter contracted by 4.2 percent, an improvement from the -8.3 percent GDP in the fourth quarter of 2020. It fell by 9.6 percent in 2020 after months of a strict lockdown in Luzon shuttered businesses. </p><p>Chua said that the slower contraction is a sign that the ecoomy &quot;is on the mend.&quot; </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/11/21/philippine-economy-first-quarter">PH economy shrinks 4.2 percent in 1st quarter but signs of recovery emerge</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/04/26/21/philippine-economy-75-percent-gdp-growth-neda-karl-chua">PH economy has time to grow up to 7.5 pct this year despite lockdowns: NEDA</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/24/21/bangko-sentral-says-inflation-manageable-vows-to-keep-support-for-economy">Bangko Sentral says inflation manageable, vows to keep support for economy</a></li></ul><p>Mantaring said the government should continue boosting the country&#x27;s health care capacity such as testing, isolation, hospital and ICU beds to prepare for &quot;future surges&quot; and to prevent further lockdowns.</p><p>The MAP also urged citizens to follow health protocols and to get vaccinated once they have the chance.</p><p>Economic managers have earlier agreed that the full implementation of recovery packages as well as the country&#x27;s vaccination program could lead to the start of positive economic growth in the second quarter of the year.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1684283" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>The Management Association of the Philippines agrees that the improving COVID-19 trend in the country could lead to further easing of restrictions, its official said Thursday.</p>

The Management Association of the Philippines agrees that the improving COVID-19 trend in the country could lead to further easing of restrictions, its official said Thursday.