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The coronavirus pandemic has affected about 4 million out-of-school youth in the current academic year, according to the Department of Education (DepEd). This number is expected to increase, with students unlikely to return to classrooms any time soon and magnified by schools’ apparent lack of readiness to adapt to online and blended learning.

Keeping a ship afloat means building and maintaining it using the right equipment so it could safely travel through dangerous water and reach its destination. An organization is similar to a ship. Companies range from small to big vessels, so to speak, traversing through diverse and challenging industries around the world.

As the coronavirus pandemic rages, our Facebook timelines got filled with farewell posts from beloved small restaurants. Many netizens mourned their loss, especially those hole-in-the-wall establishments in or near universities or office buildings. “Made so many memories here, you will be missed,” one netizen wrote, voicing sadness for the closure of a famous eatery on Katipunan Avenue that many students flocked to.

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a drastic increase in fraud in different organizations. According to the “ACFE Benchmarking Report: Fraud in the wake of Covid-19,” 79 percent of its respondents say they have seen an increase in fraud as of last November, and that this is expected to rise further in 2021.

The new year always bring new hope and a new perspective. It is as if we are all bright and eager to start the year with a clean slate. For some, the new year also inspires them start a business.

In its latest Philippine Economic Update, the World Bank said the country’s economy could contract by as much as 8.1 percent this year. Although the figure was an unfortunate downward revision from its earlier projection in October, it was still better than the government’s forecast of a 8.5-percent to 9.5-percent GDP contraction. The latest forecast came on the back of expectations that the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact would worsen, lockdown measures, and the country’s first recession since 1991.

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most disruptive world events of the last century. Its impact is surprisingly greater than that of SARS in 2003, or Ebola in 2014. The effects of our response have been unprecedented. We have seen cultural organizations receive zero visitors, religious institutions shut off mass gatherings, the entertainment industry canceled big events, and educational institutions made hard decisions to carry out online classes.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the general community quarantine, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) recently announced that mall-wide Christmas sales would be allowed this year in an effort to boost consumer spending and help our limping economy recover. Even with the huge 11.11 and 12.12 sales of top e-commerce platforms Lazada and Shopee, retailers must prepare for the expected surge in spending at both brick-and-mortar stores and shopping websites as Christmas approaches. Filipinos will be scrambling to buy gifts for their friends and loved ones, as well as food, outfits and other needs for their festivities.