Duterte to address the nation Monday night as quarantine extension starts

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to deliver another public address Monday night as the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine extension begins.

According to Duterte’s former aide, now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the President— known for his unorthodox working schedule that usually starts in the afternoon and can go on well beyond midnight—will address the nation after a meeting with officials of government agencies at the forefront of the country’s battle against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVDI-19).

However, it is still unclear what the President’s address will be about.

In mid-March, Duterte placed the entire island of Luzon under a month-long enhanced community quarantine. It was supposed to end on Monday, April 13 but he has approved the proposal to extend the quarantine until April 30.

The measure was imposed to further stop the spread of the coronavirus disease in the country. It suspended work for the majority of the region’s populace and halted the operation of public transportation.

In his last public address, Duterte lambasted critics of the government spending of the COVID-19 response fund, saying that the allotted P275-billion budget is not yet on hand since it is yet to be collected in the second, third, and fourth quarters of the year.

He also warned landlords against pressuring tenants from paying their rent amid the COVID-19 crisis.

On Monday afternoon, the Department of Health reported 284 new cases of respiratory illness, bringing the country’s total to 4,932. Of the number, 315 patients have died while 242 were able to recover.

EDV