Rappler
The coronavirus threat: Lessons from other countries
The Philippines, initially considered a model country in fighting COVID-19 with only 3 cases on February 27, has seen a dramatic surge in confirmed cases and deaths, reaching 230 cases and 18 deaths by March 20, with experts estimating potential cases to reach 75,000 by June if not contained.
In response to the escalating crisis, the Duterte government's economic team announced a P27.1-billion package on March 16 to address coronavirus-related issues.
The largest portion of the economic package, P14 billion, is allocated to the tourism sector, which is identified as the most affected industry.
An additional P3.1 billion is designated for efforts to curb the virus's spread, including the procurement of test kits.
Social protection programs for vulnerable workers will receive a total of P3.2 billion, comprising P2 billion for wage subsidies from the Department of Labor and Employment and P1.2 billion for unemployment benefits from the Social Security System.
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See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
As of Monday, March 23, the Philippines has recorded 396 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
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The Philippines is seeking to borrow $1 billion, approximately P51 billion, to fund its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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As of March 26, 2020, the Philippines has confirmed 707 COVID-19 cases, with 45 deaths and 28 recoveries.
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The Philippines' COVID-19 cases have reached 111 as of Saturday, March 14, 2020, with the confirmation of 13 new infections.
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The Philippines recorded six new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 193, with 7 recoveries and 14 deaths.
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