The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated how our socio-economic system is susceptible to exogenous shocks, crippling businesses that put millions of people in to severance; widening our pre-existing social inequalities; and inflicts hardship to those most vulnerable.
It is at this time, our traditional metrics seem partly irrelevant. The question now, that we should be asking ourselves, is where do we go from here?
Our answer is a call to pour efforts not just to revive the economy and return to the old normal, but instead navigate to a more sustainable path that effectuates fervent actions toward the environment and our health.
Private and public sector Interventions, that mitigate the economic impact people and businesses are experiencing, should consider what a post-pandemic economy should look like. If utilized decorously, it could lead to a favorable probability of creating an ecologically sustainable economy that works for everyone.
The country, more than ever, must become environmentally resilient to be able to cope with these impacts. Policies, as they are being shaped to navigate in a post peak environment, should acknowledge the need to invest in best practices, eco-friendly technologies and approaches that both efficiently and sustainably utilizes and protects our natural resources.
Readiness and efficacy of our healthcare system should be underscored in addressing possible recurrence of cases as we move past the peak, through at-scale testing, adequate surveillance, extensive contract tracing, immediate isolation and imperative interventions.
“As we plan our recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, we have a profound opportunity to steer our world on a more sustainable and inclusive path – a path that tackles climate change, protects the environment, reverses biodiversity loss and ensures the long-term health and security of humankind,” said Antonio Guterres, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General during the Petersberg Climate Dialogue 2020.
Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship (PBEST) echoes the call of UNSG in demanding all stakeholders to take action and work together as responsible stewards of the environment.
PBEST calls out the need to foster a partnership among all sectors to be able to craft and implement a holistic, environmentally, science-based and forward-looking measures in addressing the impact of this global health and economic crisis. These may not only help the economy bounce back better, but also prevent any impending further collapse from what we are currently experiencing now.
Felix Jose M. Vitangcol
Secretary General
Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship