The government also announced that it may ease restrictions on more business establishments—although more health protocols may be imposed—in a bid to contain the rising infections in the country as well as the economic recession that has rendered at least seven million Filipinos jobless.
In a recorded television footage released on Friday morning, President Duterte announced the extension of the GCQ upon the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases . “There are many infections. You keep on going out, the transmission will be endless. Anyway there’s the vaccine,” Mr. Duterte said, apparently referring to a still nonexistent vaccine that China promised to provide the Philippines once it is available.