Alberto Nunez, a struggling Filipino artist, was hoping for a turnaround this week until news surfaced of a new COVID-19 variation, which thwarted government intentions to relax regulations and destroyed his hopes for a long-awaited uptick in business.
After 21 months of border restrictions, the Philippines backed out of a planned reopening to international tourists on Sunday, citing concerns about the risks presented by the new Omicron COVID-19 form, which has sparked global worry.
Nunez had been selling paintings to tourists on Boracay Island for almost 17 years, earning an average of $600 per week before the outbreak. He now considers himself fortunate to have received $100.
With 2.8 million infections, 48,000 deaths, and a 9.5 per cent drop in GDP last year, the Philippines has been one of Asia’s worst-affected countries by the coronavirus.
Though the number of new illnesses per day has dropped dramatically from 18,579 in September to 1,644 in November, the vaccination rate remains low, with just over two-thirds of the population immunised.
Boracay, which is known for its white dunes and gorgeous emerald waters, has benefited from a loosening of laws that allowed for greater internal travel, but Nunez is concerned that this will be short-lived.
Post Your Comments