Quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila may be eased if local governments can act swiftly to contain coronavirus disease 2019 in their respective areas, an official said yesterday.

The government is now discouraging home quarantine for persons with mild cases of coronavirus disease 2019 and those who are infected but with no symptoms, saying it will increase the risk of spreading COVID-19.

On the fourth anniversary of the South China Sea ruling, the Philippines yesterday stressed that the unanimous award in favor of Manila is “non-negotiable” and that there is no possibility of “compromise or change.”

As the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic continues to take lives and disrupt economies around the world, a new report by the United Nations has warned that further outbreaks will emerge unless governments take active measures to prevent other zoonotic diseases from crossing into the human population.

The Philippine National Police recorded 19 new coronavirus disease 2019 infections among PNP personnel on Saturday, bringing the total cases to 1,063.