MANILA, Philippines — The extension of the period of state of calamity in the Philippines because of the COVID-19 pandemic will depend on the Department of Health’s (DOH) recommendation, Malacañang said Thursday.
Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles made the remark a month before the extended period of state of calamity, declared by former President Rodrigo Duterte, ends.
“It will depend on the recommendation of the DOH. But we will make the announcement when the time comes,” Cruz-Angeles said in a press briefing when asked about the possible extension of the state of calamity due to COVID-19.
On September 10, 2021, Duterte signed a proclamation further extending the period of state of calamity throughout the country due to COVID-19.
The extended period of calamity ends on September 12 this year.
The DOH recorded 3,181 new infections of COVID-19 on Wednesday, with the tally on active cases slightly decreasing to 36,035.
The new cases raised the country’s total COVID-19 caseload to 3,813,952 nationwide, with 3,717,028 recoveries and 60,889 deaths, based on the DOH’s COVID-19 tracker on its website.