By CNN Philippines
Despite the Omicron wave sweeping the country, local retailers expressed confidence the industry will continue to experience a sharp rebound from COVID-19, owing to a higher vaccination rate.
“Despite starting the year on Omicron surge, retailers remain to be very optimistic for a more progressive retail recovery as the country is now in a better position… they know better how to deal with the health crisis as compared way back in 2020, on the onset of the pandemic,” Rosemarie Bosch Ong, president of Philippine Retailers Association, told CNN Philippines’ Prices & Jobs aired Saturday.
Late in December, the Philippines saw a sudden increase in infections — forcing the pandemic response task force to impose a stricter alert level in Metro Manila.
Come January, more regions were also put under tougher COVID rules. Restrictions on minors and unvaccinated individuals were implemented as well amid the jump in new cases.
But Ong’s optimism is driven by the government’s vaccination rollout, with more Filipinos now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
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