Overall Situation
• On March 7, the Department of Health raised the COVID-19 Alert System Code to Code Red Sublevel 1.
• On March 8, with the recommendation of the DOH, the Office of the President declared a State of Public Health Emergency.
• On March 12, a Presidential Press Conference was conducted announcing the raising of the Philippines’ COVID-19 Alert Level System to Code Red Sublevel 2.
• On March 16, a Memorandum from the Executive Secretary was issued regarding Community Quarantine Over the Entire Luzon and Further Guidelines for the Management of the COVID-19 Situation.
• On March 16, the entire Philippines was placed under a State of Calamity.
• On March 25, a State of National Emergency was proclaimed, and President Duterte was granted Special Powers to resolve the COVID-19 outbreak.
Reports on Affected Populations
• As of March 31, 744 Patients Under Investigation (from the previous 657) are currently admitted in different facilities in Regions I, II, III, CALABARZON, V, VI, VII, VIII, X, XI, XII, CARAGA, CAR, and NCR.
• A total of 1,546 cases (from the previous 1,418) were confirmed in Regions I,II, III, CALABARZON, V, VI, VII, X, XI, CARAGA, CAR, and NCR. Of which, 78(from the previous 61) were reported dead and 42 (from the previous 35) have recovered.
• A total of 1,539 cities/municipalities in all regions declared suspension of classes.
• On March 17, a work from home arrangement was implemented in the government’s Executive branch, except PNP, AFP, PCG, and health and emergency frontline services, border control and other critical services, which shall ensure a skeletal work force.
• Work in all government offices were declared suspended on March 14 except for frontline services.
• Land, domestic air, and domestic sea travel to and from Metro Manila is suspended from March 15 to April 14 as declared by President Rodrigo Duterte during the Presidential Press Conference on March 12.
• The following areas were also declared under State of Calamity prior the declaration of the National State of Calamity:

REGION/PROVINCE/CITY/MUNICIPALITY DATE
REGION II
Isabela March 10
Region III
Balanga, Bataan March 17
Tarlac City March 16
Province of Pampanga March 16
Baler, Aurora March 18
MIMAROPA
Rizal, Palawan March 19
Culion, Palawan March 20
Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro Marcn 17
CAR
Ifugao March 17
Mt.Province March 17
NCR
Mandaluyong City March 15
Manila City March 12
Muntinlupa City March 16
Pasig City March 15
San Juan City March 15
Las Pinas City March 15
Malabon City March 15
Navotas City March 17
(Source: NDRRMC)

• 14.4 million non-regular workers and informal earners, or 3 out of 5 employed person in Luzon, are most at risk of lost wager and earnings due to the Luzon-wide lockdown. Many low-income Filipinos in poor-quality jobs or precarious work – or work that is insecure, low-paying, and lack benefits – face lost wages and earnings during the lockdown.
• There are already reports of workers faced with reduced work hours or forced leave due to limited operations of business establishments. Others, like small business owners and their employees have had significant loss of earnings due to the drop in customer traffic.
• Of the P27.1 billion spending plan for COVID-19 rolled out by the government, on P2 billion has been allotted as wage subsidy or financial support for displaced workers and P1.2 billion for social security unemployment benefits. Non-regular workers may not be able to avail of this cash assistance because of their irregular or informal status. (Source: IBON Foundation)
• President Rodrigo Duterte has drawn strong criticism for romanticizing the deaths of medical personnel on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country when he said they were “lucky” to die in the service of the Philippines.
• The Department of Health – Cagayan Valley confirmed that a 5-year old girl from Alfonso Castaneda town is the third case of COVID-19 in Nueva Vizcaya.
• The DOH Region VI reported that Western Visayas’ very first COVID-19 positive patient, a 56-year old man from Bacolod City, had fully recovered.
• President Rodrigo Duterte said he has delegated to the Cabinet much of the special powers granted to him by Congress to address the COVID-19 pandemic, except the authority to take charge of private businesses “when absolutely necessary.”
• Sen. Sonny Angara said that he was already recovering from COVID-19.
• President Duterte threatened government officials tasked to deliver emergency assistance that he would throw them in jail if they divert funds and goods allocated for Filipinos affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Days after the DOH disapproved the location of the Marikina City COVID-19 Testing Center, Mayor Marcelino Teodoro announced that a newly-built two-story building will house the city’s proposed testing facility.
• The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pasig reached 41 with 8 new cases since its previous tally from March 26.
• Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak is proposing a new anti-discrimination ordinance that protects frontliners, following reports of harassment and attacks against health workers battling the spread of COVID-19 in the city.
• Relatives of Filipinos onboard the COVID-19-stricken cruise ship Zaandam are getting desperate by the day, hearing stories of crewmen falling sick as days go by without a clear plan to evacuate them from the sea.
• The Department of Public Works and Highways recommended 4 public buildings to be used as temporary health facilities to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
• A 93-year old man from Tarlac City died before the result of his COVID-19 test was released. The next day, provincial officials received word from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine that he was COVID-19 positive.
• With 40 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Davao City, the hometown of President Duterte recorded the highest number of COVID-19 patients in the Davao region, a statement from the DOH Region 11 said.
• The DOH announced that it has bought P1.8 billion worth of personal protective equipment for health workers who are at the front lines in the fight against COVID-19.
• The DOH asked for additional medical equipment such as ventilators and respirators as the cases of COVID-19 in the country continue to rise.
• Ramon Ang’s San Miguel Corp. will be buying P500 million worth of PPEs for doctors, nurses, and health care workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Pangasinan Provincial Helath Office said that there are 6 new COVID-19 cases, bringing to 15 the total number of locals with COVID-19 in the province.
• The Philippines counted 13 more Filipinos who tested positive for COVID-19 abroad, bringing their total number to 348 from 335.
• Locally-made kits that can accommodate 120,000 tests for COVID-19 infection will be available by April 4, the Department of Science and Technology said.
• The Department of Justice will be sticking to its policy of arresting violators of the COVID-19 lockdown, but will roll out electronic inquest to expedite proceedings so they can be released as quickly as possible.
• Around 38 Swiss and German tourists, who came from different parts of the Philippines, were reportedly allowed to land at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport via private flights despite a province-wide lockdown ordered by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
• Grab Philippines activated its electric scooter GrabWheels, free of charge, for frontliners.
Update from Regions (STPRC, PCDR, CORDIS, and CPRS):
Province Confirmed Cases PUI PUM Death Implementation of ECQ
CALABARZON
Cavite 14 in 8 municipalities No data No data 1 – Bacoor Bacoor – lockdown
Tagaytay – lockdown
Dasmarinas – lockdown
Indang – lockdown
Alfonso – lockdown
Gen. Trias – lockdown
Laguna 8 301 2,433 Binan – lockdown since March 23
Batangas 10 25 2,198 1 Quarantine since March 15
Rizal 21 Taytay – 16 Taytay – 154 Taytay – 2
Quezon 3 76 2 – PUI
Subtotal 56 418 4,785 6
MIMAROPA
Mindoro Occidental 73 5,441
Mindoro Oriental 62 10,615 3 – PUI Community Quarantine since March 14
Marinduque 1 87 8,449
Romblon 87 6,961
Palawan 1 – Australian 60 1,171 San Vicente – lockdown since March 21
Subtotal 2 369 32,637 3
Aklan 27 4,123
Antique 15 3,707
Capiz 16 3,347
Iloilo Province 32 6,968
Iloilo City 1 20 1,438
Subtotal 1 110 19,628
CAR 4
Western Visayas 16 31 1,970
Total 79 928 58,750 9

• In Cavite, the LGU went to get the number of families of peasant communities in Dasmarinas for food packs. In Silang, only few farmers were given agricultural loans.
• Fisherfolks are not allowed to go to their mussel and oyster farm in Bacoor and demands economic relief and livelihood support due to poor income because of the strict implementation of the ECQ.
• Since the LGU has no jurisdiction over the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), some companies have gone on voluntary production shutdown. But some did not. The risk for workers to be infected on the way to work or to their home is very high.
• Families of labourers like construction workers, drivers and vendors are the most affected.
• Some officials in some barangays that went house-to-house to distribute food packs or disinfectants. Some barangays were able to distribute quarantine passes to their residents.
• There were also students in Cavite State University that were affected by the lockdown and were not able to go home. They received donations from private individuals.
• To add to the residents’ burden, a fire ni Longos, Bacoor City affected 500 families.
• In Los Banos, Laguna, residents are still allowed to buy groceries, go to pharmacies without a quarantine pass as long as they maintain physical distancing, wear face masks, and follow safety protocols.
• There were students that were not able to go home. Students in the dormitories were provided with food supplies from donations.
• In Batangas, food producers are in threat of starvation because of the strict implementation of ECQ, leaving them with no food and money.
• Contractual workers are not sure if they will not be given financial assistance packages from DOLE or if they will be provided free shuttle services or terminated for being unable to report for work. A sugar mill in Nasugbu only provides shuttle service to regular employees.
• In Barangay Boso-boso, Laurel, Batangas, the LGU is distributing previous donations for the Taal eruption. There are reports that children and senior citizens are getting cough, colds and fever in the evacuation centers. The calamity fund is still being processed.
• Residents have to rent tricycles to get to the market and those that do not have enough money are forced to walk. In Lemery, they are only given window hours to buy food in the market. Each barangay is given only 1 hour to go to the market, without consideration to their distance to the town center.
• In Rizal, there are reports that indigenous people cannot bring their produce to the market. They are staying in their “kaingin” for fear of the virus.
• In Quezon, quarantine passes are given in Lucena with schedules for market, pharmacy, and other needs.
• Indigent families were given 2 kilos of rice and 2 cans of sardines.
• In Oriental Mindoro, only farmers with their own lands are able to continue working.
• In Occidental Mindoro, farmers cannot bring their products to the market. Vegetables are sold only within their respective barangays.
• Fisher folks are not allowed to go fishing.
• There are also reports that some barangays do not give quarantine passes to residents. Food packs are distributed to persons in home quarantine.
• Residents are asking for assistance from the LGU.
• In Northern Palawan, 3 kilos of rice were distributed to each household. There are reports in Taytay, Palawan that the barangay sells the rice to IPs instead of giving it to them for free, even asking them to loan if they do not have money.
• In Southern Palawan, residents received food packs from the LGU but these are not enough. They eat only their root crops when they run out of food.
• People are scared to go out because they might be jailed.
• In Iloilo City, there has been suspensions of major public gatherings, religious gatherings, and classes, operating hours in malls and similar establishments have also been reduced, and strict implementation of physical distancing have been ordered to hospitals, clinics, hotels, resorts, and similar establishments. On March 19, Mayor Jerry Trenas signed EO 55 that puts the whole Iloilo City under Enhanced Community Quarantine until April 14.
• In the whole Iloilo province, similar measures have been done by the LGU such as suspension of public gatherings and classes, as well as border restriction and community quarantine under EO 028-C by Gov. Arthur Defensor, Jr. However, on March 20, the whole province of Iloilo was put under Enhanced Community Quarantine until April 14.
• In Roxas City in Capiz, an Enhanced Border Restriction was also implemented under EO 14 of Mayor Ronnie Dadivas, effective March 20.
• In Aklan, EO 19, an order restricting the movement of the people and regulating the entry of goods as well as mandating physical distancing measures, was implemented effective March 15.
• In Iloilo City, due to the imposed curfew, restriction of mobility, and suspension of some work, urban poor workers, mostly from the informal sector, were greatly affected. Small street vendors were not allowed to sell because of the observance of physical distancing. Market vendors and market workers experience decrease in income and salary because the number of customers going to the markets has greatly decreased. Same is true with carinderia workers. Some construction workers were also advised to stay at home, without pay, due to temporary suspension of work. Women working or offering laundry services are also experiencing decrease in customer demand.
• In Roxas, a city that relies on fishing and fish vending, people were also affected by the imposed curfew, restriction of mobility, and observance of physical distancing. Due to the limited time brought by the curfew, small fisher folks are experiencing low catch. Usually, fisher folks would go at night to fish and return in the morning to sell their catch. Moreover, with the cost of fishing at P700, fisher folks now only earn P300 from the usual P500-P600. Due to the limited number of customers going to the market, fish and dried fish vendors are experiencing almost 50% income loss. For instance, squid, which was P300/kilo before, are now being sold at P150. That is why they appeal to relax curfew hours so that customers, although limited, will have time to buy their catch in the market.
• In Aklan, workers, also from the informal sector, were greatly affected mainly by suspension of work, and observance of physical distancing and curfew. Workers in construction, service establishments, and the like, were advised to stay at home, without pay.
• Due to the lockdown, there were also students stranded in campus dormitories with very limited source of food. According to them, the school administration’s support is very limited, so they are asking for donations from different organizations and even from the LGU. Moreover, they are also facing threats of being pulled out from the dormitories due to a lockdown to be imposed in the campus.
• Based on assessments, the sector most affected by the border restriction or lockdown, curfew, and restriction of mobility, are those in the transport sector, particularly jeepney, tricycle, e-tricycle, sikad, and PUV drivers. According to the drivers, for 14-16 hours of transport, they usually earn P300-P500. In Iloilo City alone, 5,000 PUJ drivers, 4,000 tricycle drivers, 10,000 sikad rivers, and 1,000 e-tricycle drivers will be displaced from their work due to the suspension of public transportation for a period of 1 month.
• In Roxas City and Aklan, where primary mode of transportation is the tricycle, the number of passengers allowed was reduced due to the observance of physical distancing. In Roxas City, only 1 passenger is allowed, while in Aklan, 3 passengers is allowed. Even though they were not suspended to operate, drivers expect a 50% income loss. According to drivers in Roxas City, there was no proper plan as to what the government will do to them.
• In the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), there are 4 confirmed positive cases.
• Classes in all levels were suspended since March 13. At first, there were pre-arranged online quizzes among college students but this was not sustained because many students do not have stable internet connection.
• Farming activities were disrupted in the early days of the ECQ when they were required to get permits/passes. However, they now allow farming activities to go on.
• Food transportation is not hampered but they have to pass through every checkpoint.
• In Western Visayas, local markets are operational but they experienced panic buying 3 days before the implementation of ECQ.
• Public transport is available for frontliners.
• Authorities are conducting awareness-raising measures but these are insufficient for the people to fully understand the root cause and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. People are just relying on radio, TV, and social media, which sometimes post false information that cause overreaction and fear.
• In Bacolod, the first tranche of relief packs was distributed to 61 barangays.
• Cash grants of 4Ps beneficiaries were not suspended but delayed.
• Some private companies and foundations gave donations like alcohol, gloves, goggles, and PPEs to frontliners.
• Fishing and farming activities are disrupted during the lockdown.
• Prices of basic commodities, especially food, increased.
• Food transport is hampered and suppliers of vegetable, egg, rice, and other cargo cannot pass through.
• LGU’s food relief assistance is not sufficient for 1 month. Food relief assistance is only 15 kg for 15 days.
• No hygiene kits are provided in the LGU’s relief packs.
Emergency Response Efforts
• On March 12 and 13, CDRC conducted staff meeting to discuss initial response plans.
• On March 16, employees were advised to work from home.
• Regular publication of situational reports.
• Published statement on COVID-19
• Regular information sharing and awareness-raisin on social media platforms.
• Launched Call for Donation online.
• Efforts to raise funds continue.
• Regular updates to funding partners.
• Initial communication with partners (CARE Philippines and World Jewish Relief)
• Coordination with CREST.
• Acquired humanitarian pass from Quezon City
Resources Available
• Standby emergency funds
• Prepositioned goods at the CDRC warehouse
Expressed Needs
• For responders and front liners – N95 masks, latex gloves, personal protective equipment, alcohol
• For families in need – food relief pack, hygiene and protection kit, vitamins
Coordination
• Citizens’ Disaster Response Network
Contacts
• Kim Augiline Leduna, Executive Director, (insert cellphone number), info@cdrc-phil.com
• Malen Serato, Field Operations Department, 0916-499-1410, fod@cdrc-phil.com
• Hanna Fiel, Research and Public Information Department, 0945-8355589, hanna.fiel.cdrc2019@gmail.com
• Cora Jazmines, Local Partnerships Department, 0928-182-4969, lpd@cdrc-phil.com