President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday placed the entire country under a state of calamity due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The state of calamity, the President said, will last for six months, unless earlier lifted or extended.“(This) declaration will, among others, afford the national government, as well as local government units, ample latitude to utilize appropriate funds, including the Quick Response Fund, in theirdisaster preparedness and response efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 and to continue to provide basic services to the affected population,” he said in Proclamation No. 929. / by Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz