(MANILA BULLETIN)
President Duterte placed the Philippines under a state of public health emergency in mid-March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after health authorities confirmed localized transmission of the virus.
The Department of Health (DoH) repeatedly urged the public to avoid crowded places and observe social distancing as among the precautionary strategies against the spread of COVID-19.
As part of this measure, the President decided to suspend classes in areas affected by the outbreak on the first week of the enforcement of an enhanced community quarantine to prevent possible exposure of students to the virus and to contain the spread of the disease.