Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 5) – Food and lifestyle smartphone application Booky has launched its program to support businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
In an interview with CNN Philippines’ Rico Hizon on Friday, Booky founder and chief executive officer Ben Wintle recognized the magnitude of the pandemic’s impact to restaurants and lifestyle shops.
These businesses in the country stopped their operations for two months, when the national government placed the country under enhanced community quarantine due to COVID-19 and implemented strict stay-at-home orders.
“The numbers are quite straightforward, it’s obviously been bad for restaurants and lifestyle service businesses. Half of restaurants have seen zero revenue and the other half less than 20 percent revenue of what they would get in the same period last year,” said Wintle.
Wintle also noted that half of the restaurant and lifestyle service businesses in the country implemented massive pay cuts and some had employee layoffs.
The reality in the food and lifestyle sector led Wintle to start #SupportPH, which will help establishments cope with the economic consequences of the pandemic.
“By purchasing a voucher, we are providing much needed cash flow to these local businesses, to help them with their payroll and employees, and eventually to put food on the table of their families,” added Wintle.
Wintle explained that Booky’s #SupportPH initiative is needed for businesses due to the slow consumer demand.
But Wintle was pleased that malls and other commercial establishments are allowed to gradually reopen as most parts of the country are now in a more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ) setting or modified GCQ.
READ: Restaurant dine-in operations can now resume in MGCQ areas, but no buffets
“My prediction is that consumer demand will come back very gradually,” said Wintle.
Users of the Booky app can contribute to the #SupportPH initiative by buying vouchers for themselves and for their loved ones or friends.
Most Booky #SupportPH vouchers also offer huge discounts on food and lifestyle services and are valid up to three months after the shops reopen, Wintle added.
