TUES 07 APRIL 2020
Today President Duterte, working with the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Department of Health (DOH), The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), business leaders, the Senate and Congress has approved an eighteen-day extension to the prevailing Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), which has been in place since MON 16 MARCH and is due to end on Easter Sunday, 12 APRIL 2020. The ECQ extension is from TUES 13 to THURS 30 APRIL 2020 inclusive and is to include the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, social distancing, a strong Stay at Home policy, especially for persons over the age of 60, and all hygiene and sterilising protocols in place today.
Families and individuals in the private sector, including business establishments, have invested personal time and money in assisting the medical staffs of all Metro Manila hospitals, to include the manufacture of personal protection equipment (PPE), delivery of cooked meals to hospitals and barangays (villages) in need of assistance, and in countless other ways. In other parts of the Philippine archipelago similar restrictions are in place as the citizens of and visitors to the Philippines join together in this endeavour.
Different banking institutions are playing their part in the humane effort to reach out in these uncertain times and to make money matters easier: for instance, a launch of mobile banking services, an ‘ATM GO’ programme and to ensure their ATM networks are strong. The World Bank has offered the Philippines a US$1.1billion loan in order to properly address the COVID-19 fight.
The various islands or areas of the Philippine archipelago - Cebu, Visayas, Mindanao - have their own lockdowns in place, and under their Local Government Units (LGU).
One observation heard in a newscast today: “Likely to extend beyond 30th April in some form or another”.
CAVEAT: Please be advised that content of this section is subject to change on a daily basis, depending upon developments caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.