Thread by @cnnphilippines

THREAD: President Rodrigo Duterte addresses the nation. Follow this thread by our digital producers @laratyan, @_alyssarola, @gleefjalea for updates.

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State media airs Duterte's meeting with the COVID-19 task force held last night

Education Secretary Leonor Briones presents the pros and cons of limited face-to-face learning in low-risk areas amid COVID-19 crisis: It will not be for the entire five days of the school week. It will be limited to the most important things a child should learn

DepEd secretary: In spite of the combined impact of COVID-19 and the downturn of the economy, we are able to achieve 77% of total enrollment compared to last year

DepEd secretary: Private schools have been affected by the downturn of the economy, parents who lost their jobs cannot fund the studies of their students

DepEd secretary says lawmakers, local executives, and several international schools in the country are requesting for limited face-to-face classes.

Briones cites studies, "Children are not as badly affected by the COVID phenomenon as compared to adults."

DepEd secretary, citing studies, says children are not as badly affected by COVID phenomenon as adults: Of the total confirmed cases out of more than 67,000 cases, only over 2,000 cases or 4% are children. There were only 16 recorded COVID-related deaths among children so far

DepEd secretary on advantage of limited face-to-face classes: Administrative costs will be lower. It also closes in inequality gaps. If we rely heavily on online learning, then you'll have equity problems for those who don't have access to digital equipment

DepEd secretary says face-to-face interaction between students will teach the children "how to deal with fellow human beings"

DepEd secretary says face-to-face learning will not be difficult in public schools because they are not air-conditioned

DepEd secretary says, aside from health risks, one of the disadvantages of allowing face-to-face classes amid a health pandemic is that it's costly to carry out stringent health standards

DepEd secretary says schools in low-risk areas can't just open immediately: It's not automatic. They must be inspected first

DepEd secretary: Location of schools have to be assessed as low-risk. They have to be friendly to the idea of face-to-face. Kailangan din standard ang physical condition ng schools. We cannot allow schools with very small classrooms to operate

DepEd secretary says a special tax fund may be utilized to finance the needs of schools

DepEd secretary reiterates that, should the national government allow face-to-face classes, it will be strictly limited and will observe health protocols

President Duterte approves of DepEd Secretary Briones' proposals on limited face-to-face learning sessions

Duterte: It's very hard to impose itong paglabas ng tao. Even itong wearing of the mask. I hate to arrest people for mere violation of that rule. Ang problema kailangan ng cooperation. The mayors have to do more

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año says local government officials have convened to discuss quarantine protocol: Nagkaroon ng kasunduan kung papaano ang pagpapatupad ng localized lockdown. Gagawa ng proposal para ma-handle ang locally stranded individuals na uuwi sa mga probinsya

Duterte: There are mayors who refuse to abide by the rules. You want COVID to slow down, wear a mask or do not go out if you do not want to wear one. 'Yun lang at social distancing. There is no other way that you can prevent COVID from transferring from one person to another

Duterte: Under ordinary times, a simple violation of not wearing a mask seems to be trivial. But during times of health issues, you can… it can be a serious crime. We’ll have to ask our police to be more strict

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III: Ang testing capacity ay patuloy na tumataas at ang daily testing output ay napapataas rin po

DOH secretary on Oplan Kalinga program: Evacuation centers are being considered to be converted into quarantine facilities

Under the Oplan Kalinga program, COVID-19 patients showing no flu-like symptoms will be fetched from their homes and brought to government quarantine facilities to control the transmission of the disease

DOH secretary: Medyo hirap po ang ibang mayors sa kanilang containment strategy. Pinakiusapan namin sila na sabihin kung anong tulong ang kailangan.

Duque says early detection, clinical management important in COVID-19 response

Duterte: Do we have the capacity to do the testing for every citizen in this country?

Duque: Hindi naman po natin pwede i-test ang bawat mamamayan. Wala pong bansa ang nakakagawa nito, kahit na ang pinakamayan katulad ng US

DOH secretary explains testing capacity to Duterte: Testing capacity right now is at 74,000. Our daily testing output is between 20,000 to 23,000 daily. Ang target po natin is 10 million Filipinos to be tested by 2021

Duterte on contact tracing: Sa atin, mahirap, but it can be done

Duterte: In America, a good number of people do not want to get tested because they do not believe in it, same with Brazil. It's only now that people are dying, that they are short of coffins, that they have to follow the rules

COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez on delegation of testing, tracing, isolation, and treatment czars: Sa lahat ng ibang bansa na nakita natin, itong apat talaga ang nagiging haligi ng kanilang stratehiya

• Tracing czar - Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong
• Isolation czar - DPWH Secretary Mark Villar
• Treatment czar - DOH Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega
• Testing czar - COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer and BCDA President Vince Dizon

bit.ly/2OD1qjX

COVID-19 chief implementer: Sa trace, ngayon namin nalaman na ang ginagawa ng ating mayors ay kulang pa

COVID-19 chief implementer: Sa India, ang ospital ang pumupunta sa slum areas. Doon lang natin ma-isolate ang patients. Ang ginagawa ng ating mga czar, pinapaakyat ngayon ang capacity ng testing

COVID-19 chief implementer lauds the contact tracing efforts of Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong, who was recently named as national tracing czar

COVID-19 chief implementer says the Philippines is now conducting 27,000 COVID-19 tests daily

COVID-19 chief implementer: If we will try to dance with the virus, ang stratehiya ay palakasin ang ICU bed capacity natin

COVID-19 chief implementer: We will be recommending na kung magkaroon ng zoning sa NCR, magkaroon tayo ng four hospitals, dedicated for COVID-19

COVID-19 chief implementer on anti-COVID czars: General Magalong has the capacity to track cases. Mr. Dizon is very passionate in ramping up the testing capacity we have (1/2)

COVID-19 chief implementer on anti-COVID czars: With the supervision of Sec. Villar, the DPWH is readying the capacity in case of surges. With Dr. Vega, kahit mag-open ang economy, we can dance with the virus by adding COVID-dedicated hospitals (2/2)

Duterte to the public: Our number one problem today is the COVID. I am as mad as you. Galit ako, pareho tayo, sa nangyari

Duterte: Perhaps our number one problem today is COVID

Duterte: Ang nagpipigil sa akin (to open up the economy), ang science. Naging inutil na rin ako. But you know, COVID is COVID. Sa America, sa ibang lugar, too early, sinabihan sila ng WHO na huwag (ease lockdown). Ngayon, bumalik sila, parang second wave

Duterte to DepEd Secretary Briones: Sa edukasyon, kinabukasan ng mga bata iyan. They have to finish para mabuhay sila. I know the apprehension. Pero maghintay kayo

Duterte: Pag nakainom na tayo ng vaccine, 'yung Influenza, H1N1, nandiyan pero pag nakainom ka ng vaccine purnada na sila

Duterte reminds the public to wear masks: Masks, ito talaga ang importante. Kung wala kayo, I will try to buy as many as I can afford. Ibigay namin 'yan sa inyo, but wear it

RELATED: The government is looking into a suggestion to provide free face masks to urban poor families, with @DrTonyLeachon saying President Duterte is receptive to the idea bit.ly/2DKxHDe

Duterte: Marunong ang Diyos, alam niyang hindi tayo pababayaan. Especially dahil Kristiyano tayo

Duterte: In the meantime, ang importante dito is your perseverance. You must persevere during this time. Magsakripisyo lang tayo nang kaunti

Duterte: Dedicate to the Lord that you also suffer for the country