Part 5/9:
With external trade accounting for 30-40% of the economy, many workers directly or indirectly rely on exports for their livelihoods. The collapse of the manufacturing sector threatens to create a ripple effect, leading to widespread layoffs and a further deterioration in domestic demand. As fellow entrepreneurs from different industries report challenges akin to La’s, the sentiment shifts from hope to despair. “It is like the gods are fighting and the common people are suffering,” lamented one observer, encapsulating the struggle faced by many.