Philippines extends Manila lockdown

Manila

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte approved a proposal to extend a lockdown in Manila and nearby provinces by at least a week as the country's active coronavirus cases reached the highest in South-east Asia.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) governor Benjamin Diokno pledged to continue supporting the economy after already providing more than two trillion pesos (S$55.4 billion) in liquidity through various stimulus measures since the pandemic hit last year. "The BSP will keep the accommodative monetary policy stance as long as it's necessary," he said on Sunday.