President Duterte expresses his utmost gratitude to all the health professionals and frontliners who continuously provide basic services to the people amid the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), in his message to the nation on March 24, 2020.
The Chief Executive assures the Filipino people that the government remains on top in safeguarding their protection and giving the security needed to respond to the challenges brought by the pandemic. He urges his ‘kababayans’ and the local government units (LGUs) to remain cooperative and to always follow the rules set by the national government.
President Duterte also thanked the Senate and House of Representatives for granting the Executive Department the special powers it needs to effectively respond to the COVID-19. This shall provide ample latitude to utilize appropriate funds to strengthen governmental response against the threat of the said disease as well as to continue providing basic services to the people, in addition to the urgent and critical measures implemented pursuant to Proclamation Nos. 922 and 929 (series of 2020) declaring a state of public health emergency and a state of calamity throughout the Philippines.
