Duterte eases Manila lockdown in bid to boost tanking economy

Government will expand testing and contact tracing of symptomatic patients

A boy wears a face shield while watching an online learning class from a smartphone in his home in Manila on Monday. © Reuters

CLIFF VENZON, Nikkei staff writer

August 18, 2020 13:31 JST

MANILA -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved a relaxation of lockdown rules in the Philippine capital after two weeks of strict measures aimed at easing pressure on a healthcare system overwhelmed by rising COVID-19 infections.

The easing of community quarantine restrictions in Metropolitan Manila and four nearby provinces, home to a quarter of the nation's population, will come into effect on Wednesday.