The Philippine government is seeking to import 300,000 tonnes of rice to ensure sufficient domestic supply as the country is trying to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on March 31.
The public's compliance with instructions and policies of the authorities in COVID-19 prevention and control is key for Malaysia in the face of the pandemic's complicated developments, wrote an article of the Bernama news agency.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo on March 31 declared a national public health emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic and announced measures to help people with lower incomes.
The first teleconference of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies was held on March 31 under the chair of Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung, head of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Vietnam.
The Indonesian Government has decided to ban all arrivals and transits of foreign nationals into the country to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, a minister said on March 31.
The Thai government will not allow flag carrier Thai Airways International (THAI) to collapse, according to Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak who has also dismissed rumours of impending lay-offs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte on March 30 announced that his government will launch a social relief package worth 200 billion peso (3.9 billion USD) to assist low-income households and industries seriously affected by the strict preventive measures against COVID-19.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, who is also the Chair of the 41st General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), has called on the organisation’s members to join hands in COVID-19 fight.
Military hospitals and field hospitals run by the military of Thailand have been told to prepare to take in Covid-19 patients as the number of infections in Thailand continues to rise, local media reported.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, who is also the Chair of the 41st General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), on March 30 sent a letter to heads of the organisation's members, calling for their engagement in the fight against COVID-19.
The administration of Phuket, an island province of Thailand, has banned people and vehicles from leaving and entering the popular tourist destination to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Registration for 5,000 baht government aid, for people affected by the coronavirus crisis, was opened on March 28 at 6pm via the "เราไม่ทิ้งกัน ดอทคอม" website. Immediately after the registration opened, the website crashed, due to the overwhelming number of applicants.
The Philippines Ministry of Health on March 29 recorded 343 more people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the highest number in a day in the country, raising the total cases to 1,418 people, including 71 deaths.