President Rodrigo Duterte announced to lifting the lockdowns enforced on June 1

News24xx.com - President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Thursday (May 28) that he is lifting one of the strictest and longest lockdowns enforced in South-east Asia, as the Philippines pivots to rebuilding an economy devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Let us move to the so-called new normal. Let’s see what develops ahead,” Mr Duterte said at a meeting of his ministers.

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He said this as health officials reported earlier in the day the largest number of new cases reported in a single day since the virus was first detected in the country, and experts warned easing the lockdown is premature as it has not led to a "discernible" drop in infections.

The Health Ministry said in a bulletin 539 new infections and 17 more deaths were recorded, bringing total infections to 15,588. Deaths have reached 921. More than half of the new cases were in Metro Manila.

Mr Duterte reminded the public that “the entire nation is still under quarantine”. Some curbs would remain in place to prevent a second wave of infections, he said.

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A task force overseeing efforts to slow the spread of the virus recommended that Mr Duterte downgrade sweeping restrictions in place across Metro Manila since March 16 to a "general community quarantine" starting June 1, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said.