The Quezon City government has expanded its free COVID-19 testing program amid the surge in new cases believed driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, officials said yesterday.

The Commission on Population and Development yesterday debunked accusations that the government has rolled out vaccines against COVID-19 to “depopulate” the country.

The government needs 38.67 million anti-COVID jabs for the vaccination of minors, National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Thursday.

Four investigational drugs are highly effective against COVID-19 even with the circulation of the Omicron variant in the country, an infectious disease expert at San Lazaro Hospital said yesterday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday welcomed the US State Department study that found China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea as “unlawful” and “inconsistent” with international law.