More than three years after former President Rodrigo Duterte declared the State of Public Health Emergency as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak in March 2020, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. announced its lifting this weekend.
Marcos signed Proclamation 297 that lifts the State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines.
"As a result of continued immunization and decreased in the number of COVID-19 cases, measures such as reopening of international borders and relaxation of health and safety protocol requirements were instituted by the government. as well by other countries," the proclamation stated.
Although the Covid-19 remains "a serious concern" and requires continued public health response, the proclamation said, the country has low bed utilization.
It is also requested by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on the lifting of Public Health Emergency in the Philippines.
"All prior Orders, Memoranda, and issuances that are effective only during the State of Public Health Emergency shall be deemed withdrawn, revoked or canceled and shall no longer be in effect. All EUA issued by the FDA pursuant to EO No. 121 (s.2020) shall remain valid for a period of one (1) year from date of filing of the State of Public Health Emergency for the sole purpose of exhausting the remaining vaccines".
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