President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the entire Philippines under a state of calamity to allow the government to tap more funds to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Duterte signed Proclamation 929 declaring a state of calamity which will last for six months unless earlier lifted or extended.

“Despite government interventions, the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to rise,” the proclamation stated.

The proclamation also provided for the implementation of a Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine aimed at curbing the further spread of the deadly virus.

Latest Department of Health (DOH) data showed that the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines rose to 187 on Tuesday after the DOH confirmed 45 new infections.

The DOH also reported the recovery of another patient, bringing the total number of recoveries recorded in the country to four./Stacy Ang