President Rodrigo Duterte told Filipinos on the first anniversary of the COVID lockdown on Monday: Do not despair. He said the nation faced worse crises in the past.
Cases are surging, putting a strain on hospital capacity especially in Metro Manila. The capital region started on Monday a two-week long curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Duterte again assured the nations that more vaccines are coming. He said face masks would be distributed to the poor.
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"Do not despair, kaya natin ito itong COVID na ito," Duterte said in his weekly address to the nation.
"Maliit na bagay ito sa buhay natin. Marami tayo dinaanan mas grabe, mas mahirap, mas magluluha kayo," he said.
"I know lahat kayo, lalo na mga kababayan ko diyan sa squatter's area. Lahat kayo 'wag kayong matakot hindi ko kayo iiwanan," he said.
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