Flor Tarriela | 3 December 2021
THE collective hope of mankind is that we will never again face a pandemic of similar proportions to COVID-19, a health crisis that quickly turned into a financial calamity, with its ramifications far-reaching. The Philippine economy contracted by 9.5% last year and it was sad to see establishments struggle even shut down altogether — restaurants, retail stores, travel agencies, manufacturing companies, even schools. Such closures led to lost jobs and broken dreams.