A gun ban is in effect in Metro Manila for seven days in preparation for President Rodrigo Duterte’s final State of the Nation Address.

Local health authorities on Saturday reported 6,216 more COVID-19 infections, bringing the national caseload to 1,543,281.

Metro Manila will be under longer curfew hours beginning Sunday amid the threat posed by the more contagious Delta coronavirus variant.

Inclement weather forced some cities in Metro Manila to suspend vaccinating people against COVID-19 on Saturday as the southwest monsoon or habagat continued to dump rains on the capital region.

Twelve of the Delta variant cases were classified as "local," nine of whom had indicated addresses in Metro Manila, the Department of Health said.

Around 14,000 people have fled their homes into evacuation centers in different parts of the country as heavy rain brought by the southwest monsoon or habagat is forecast to continue to drench Luzon and parts of Western Visayas.

Officials have just a little over four months left to meet their target of fully inoculating another 64.91% —  for a total of 70% — of the population to achieve herd immunity. 

Typhoon “Fabian” (international name: In-Fa) has exited the Philippine area of responsibility, but rains brought by the southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to drench Luzon and parts of Western Visayas.

State volcanologists lowered Friday night Taal’s status from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2, indicating “decreased unrest” in the volcano.

A magnitude-6.6 quake struck waters off Calatagan, Batangas at 4:48 a.m. on Saturday.