Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (Photo: AFP/VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine PresidentRodrigo Duterte on August17 decided to ease lockdown measures in and around the capital Manila as hisgovernment promised a “refreshed” approach to fighting COVID-19 that includesintensified testing.
Duterte, in a televise address, held that it isnecessary to reopen the economy with small and medium enterprises “barelysurviving”, while at the same time calling on the public to “follow thesafeguards”.
The Philippines, which before the pandemic wasone of Asia’s fastest growing economies, fell into recession for the first timein 29 years with a record slump in the second quarter, due to thepandemic-induced lockdown.
Under the relaxed rules which will take effecton August 19, most businesses, including dine-in services will be allowed toreopen, according to Harry Roque, Duterte’s spokesman.
Religious services will also be permittedprovided that houses of worship limit total attendance to 30 percent of abuilding’s capacity, he said.
Besides intensifying testing, the governmentwill continue to conduct house-to-house checks to trace COVID-19 patients withmild or no symptoms so they could be escorted to quarantine establishments, headded./.
VNA
