PETALING JAYA: Public activity restrictions under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) will be extended until March 31 of this year, Senior Security Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said. Yesterday, the RMCO was expected to end. This was because of the high number of active cases, especially among foreign workers, Ismail said. He said that after a rash of cases there, …

Amidst everything that’s happening, President Rodrigo Duterte certified two bills seeking to extend the validity of the 2020 national budget and the so-called “Bayanihan 2” legislation as urgent steps to ensure that the government has enough fiscal leeway to finance next year’s expensive pandemic response. Duterte gave presidential certification to House Bill 6656 in a letter to House Speaker Lord …

Top Philippine banks gave consumer and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) loan customers a grace period, giving them leeway during Luzon’s month-long coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown. BDO Unibank, the country’s largest lender, gave the longest 60 day grace period, covering credit card, auto, home, SME and personal loan customers with due dates up to April 15, 2020. Bank of the …