The Philippine government lifted a curfew imposed in the capital more than one year ago as part of coronavirus restrictions amid lower COVID-19 cases in the country.
Benjamin Abalos Jr, chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, said on Thursday.
He said the lifting of the curfew would allow malls and other commercial establishments to extend operating hours ahead of the Christmas holidays.
According to him, the longer hours would help avoid overcrowding and traffic as more people go out of their homes amid less restrictions.
“We need to anticipate possible superspread events, the mayors in Metro Manila have spoken to commercial establishments to extend their operating hours so that people do not crowd inside,” Abalos said.
He stressed that while the coronavirus-related curfew was already lifted, curfews imposed by some local governments on minors were still in effect.
The Philippine government imposed a nine-hour night curfew in Metro Manila in March 2020 at the start of the coronavirus lockdown in the country.
The curfew hours were later shortened as restrictions eased.
The last curfew was just four hours from 12 midnight to 4 am.
The Philippines’ total COVID-19 caseload was at more than 2.79 million on Wednesday, when the Department of Health reported a nine-month low in daily confirmed cases and the death toll was at 43,586.
Health authorities said the number of cases was also declining as more people received vaccinations against the virus.
As of Nov. 3, more than 28.19 million people or over 25 per cent of the country’s total population have been fully vaccinated, the department said. (dpa/ NAN)
