COVID-19 Lockdown Policy and Heterogeneous Responses of Urban Mobility: Evidence from the Philippines

Abstract

This paper analyzes data from cellphone-based origin-destination flows to assess the effect of community quarantines on urban mobility in the Philippines after the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. The analysis of 2020 data reveals that the impact of lockdowns was strongest and most persistent in cities where a high share of workforce was employed in work-from-home friendly sectors or medium and large enterprises. The paper compares findings with cross-country evidence on lockdowns and mobility, discusses the economic implications for containment policies in the Philippines, and suggests directions for additional research.