President Rodrigo Duterte warned of “bleak months ahead” as cases continue to surge and fresh lockdowns are imposed while the arrival of more vaccine doses remains uncertain.
The President said the country is now “almost back to zero” as he lamented the tightening global supply of COVID-19 vaccines.
“There is a ruckus – some countries are dividing the vaccine supply among themselves. I cannot name these countries, but I want you to know how unfair it is really especially if you are on the side of the poor. We cannot do anything,” he said.
“We are really doing our very best — the best of our best talent — to get vaccines from anywhere.
Please stretch your patience and understanding. We are not a vaccine-producing country so all we can do is wait.”
“I want to cry in front of all of you, but all my tears have been spent. It feels like I am passing through purgatory until I am able to help all Filipinos,” the President said.
To further curb the exponential rise in COVID-19 cases, the President approved the following quarantine restrictions:
1. Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine
– City of Santiago in Isabela (April 1-30)
– Quirino province (April 1-15)
2. General Community Quarantine from April 1-30
– Entire Cordillera Administrative Region
– Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya in Region 2
– Batangas
– Tacloban City
– Iligan City
– Davao City
– Lanao del Sur
All other areas shall be placed under the least stringent Modified General Community Quarantine.
NCR Plus (Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan) shall remain under Enhanced Community Quarantine until April 4.
“Quarantine restrictions will be loosened or tightened depending on the result of the cases,” the President said.
The President assured affected residents in the NCR Plus areas that financial aid will be given.
Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said 22.9 million Filipinos will receive cash aid of P1,000 each, but not more than P4,000 per household.
He said the supplemental amelioration program will cover 80 percent of the total population of the NCR Plus bubble.
Almost half of the beneficiaries are from Metro Manila at 11.2 million, followed by Cavite at 3.4 million, Bulacan at 3 million, Laguna at 2.7 million, and Rizal at 2.6 million.