President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the extension of the Luzon-wide lockdown until 11:59 p.m. of April 30 to arrest the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cabinet Secretary and Inter-Agency Task Force spokesman Karlo Nograles said Duterte accepted the IATF's recommendation contained in Resolution No. 20 that was passed Monday night.
"Provided that such extension of the enhanced community quarantine shall be without prejudice to the discretion of the President to relax the implementation of the ECQ in some local jurisdictions, or the granting of exemptions in favor of certain sectors, as public health considerations and food security may warrant," Nograles said.
The country has recorded 3,660 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 163 deaths and 73 recoveries. The IATF also passed Resolution No. 21 which recommends the following:
– Immediate release of the requested budget by the Department of Labor and Employment amounting to P5 billion for cash aid to displaced overseas Filipino workers and local workers;
– The activation of Local Price Coordinating Councils, with the guidance of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, to strictly monitor prices and enforce Suggested Retail Price and price freeze for basic necessities and prime commodities;
– The creation of the “‹Bayanihan One-Stop Shop for sectoral agencies involved in accreditation and logistics; – the resumption of utility relocation works and resume specified limited works across 13 rail projects, including rail replacement works for MRT-3, which can only be done when MRT-3 is not undergoing passenger operations;
– The adoption as national policy of a 30-day grace period extended to commercial rents falling due upon micro, small and medium enterprises MSMEs within the period of the ECQ, without incurring interests, penalties, fees, and other charges.
