The 2-week return of Metro Manila and 4 surrounding provinces under the toughest lockdown level displaced 1.5 million workers, the Department of Trade and Industry said on Thursday.

The enhanced community quarantine, which allows only select industries to operate at full capacity, was reimposed from March 29 to April 11 in Metro Manila and surrounding Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal provinces to contain a surge in COVID-19 infections.

"Base sa talaan naman ng mga labor force, iyong mga sectors na sarado noong ECQ, mga 1.5 million estimate kami na na-displace, nawalan ng hanapbuhay," said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

(Based on the labor force tally, in the sectors that were closed during ECQ, we estimate that 1.5 million people were displaced, lost their livelihood.)

Of this number, 500,000 returned to work when the NCR Plus bubble shifted to modified ECQ, he said in a public briefing.

“Therefore, meron pa tayong mga 1 million na inaasahan nating makakabalik [ng trabaho], hopefully ‘pag nag-GCQ tayo,” Lopez said.

(Therefore there are still 1 million people we expect to return to work, hopefully when we shift to GCQ.)

“High-risk” establishments that remain closed include amusement parks, internet cafes, restaurants limited to indoor dining, and personal care salons, he said.

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