MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to announce later Monday new quarantine classifications meant to arrest a surge in COVID-19 infections until the end of April, Malacañang said.

Duterte will meet the inter-agency task force leading the country's pandemic response and address the public later Monday, said Palace spokesman Harry Roque.

"Inaasahan po natin na sa Talk to the People, masasapinal na iyong quarantine classification simula April 5 hanggang katapusan ng April, at saka iyong issue po ng assistance ng gobyerno,"

(We expect that during the Talk to the People, the quarantine classifications from April 5 until the end of the month will be finalized, as well as the assistance from government.)

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Metro Manila and the surrounding provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal are under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the strictest of 4 lockdown levels from March 29 to April 4.

Government aims for the public's "total health" in deciding lockdown, Roque said in a press briefing.

"Maselan po talaga 'yang decision-making. Hindi naman po pupuwede na sa pagnanais nating mapabagal ang COVID-19, mas marami naman ang mamatay dahil sa kagutuman at iba pang dahilan bukod sa COVID-19," he said.

(The decision-making for that is sensitive. We cannot let our desire to slow the spread of COVID-19 to lead to deaths because of hunger and reasons apart from COVID-19.)

ECQ bans non-essential movement, mass gatherings, and dining in restaurants. It also reduces businesses that can operate at full capacity.

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COVID-19 cases in the Philippines in the past two weeks are "2 times higher than what we were reporting three to four weeks ago," said the health department's Epidemiology Bureau chief Dr. Alethea De Guzman.

While the week-long ECQ could slightly reduce infections, she said, "Posible pong tumaas na naman ang dami ng kaso natin pagkatapos na ma-lift ng ECQ… Isa sa mga nirerekomenda nating eksperto, baka kinakailangan i-extend."

(The number of our cases could increase against once ECQ is lifted. One recommendation of our experts is that we might need to extend this.)

De Guzman said she cannot disclose specific figures yet.

The Philippines is battling a renewed surge in infections, including those of the new and more transmissible variants, prompting the government to tighten existing curbs in the capital and nearby provinces.

Coronavirus cases and deaths in the Philippines totaled 721,892 and 13,170, the second highest in Southeast Asia, with infections reported in the past nine days accounting for a tenth of the total.

Lockdowns have taken a huge toll on the Philippine economy, which contracted by a record 9.5 percent last year.

Roque earlier said the government timed the reimposition of ECQ during the week ahead of Easter - so the impact on the economy will be less severe as many businesses will be closed anyway during Holy Week celebrations.

Public transport will be allowed to operate on a limited capacity, and movement of essential goods can continue unimpeded, he said.

— With a report from Reuters

Video courtesy of PTV