BREAKING: Duterte’s national address on fate of ECQ to air Friday, says Palace

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s taped address to the nation on the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine will air Friday at 8 a.m., Malacañang said Thursday night.

“PRRD’s address on ECQ will be aired tomorrow at 8 a.m. FYI,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a message to reporters.

The President was supposed to speak to the nation on Thursday night about the fate of enhanced community quarantine, which is set to lapse on April 30.

In mid-March, Duterte placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine to curb the spread of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes the highly contagious respiratory illness COVID-19.

It was supposed to be lifted on April 13 but a two-week extension or until April 30 was consequently approved by the President as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country continued to rise.

The strict quarantine measure suspended all public transportation, banned mass gatherings, and shuttered businesses, excluding those involved in food, medicine, and health care.

In a meeting with Duterte earlier this week, Malacañang said experts recommended to either retain, relax or lift quarantine measures but only in certain areas depending on the number of its COVID-19 cases.

No suggestions of a “total lockdown” nor an extension of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine was made, according to presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

A “gradual” lifting of lockdowns was also recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Health officials have so far confirmed 6,891 COVID-19 cases in the country with 462 fatalities and 722 recoveries.

KGA