page_title: Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
section_title: March
hierarchical_section_title: Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines / March
caption_attribution_description: English: Camp Olivas, City of San Fernando, Pampanga- PLTGEN GUILLERMO ELEAZAR joined PRO3 Regional Director PBGEN RHODEL SERMONIA in the inspection of control points at the Meycauayan - Valenzuela boundary, Bocaue Toll Plaza and Fields Avenue in Angeles City, yesterday morning (March 19) to ensure that proper guidelines are constantly being observed by PNP personnel to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 in the country.
context_section_description: March 6 – The fourth and fifth cases, an employee of Deloitte at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, and a resident of Cainta, Rizal respectively, were confirmed on March 6. Both are Filipino citizens, making them the first and second cases of Filipinos inside the Philippines.
  March 7
  The sixth case was confirmed on March 7. The case is of the wife of the fifth case diagnosed on March 5.
  The Department of Health confirmed that the fifth case was the first local transmission in the country. Code Red Sub-Level 1 was also raised as a precautionary measure.
  March 8
  Four new cases were confirmed on March 8:
  The seventh case is a Taiwanese national who got infected by another Taiwanese national that recently visited the Philippines. His symptoms began appearing on March 3.
  The eighth case is a Filipino citizen that recently visited Japan in the past two weeks. His symptoms began appearing on March 5.
  The ninth case is an American national with pre-existing hypertension that recently traveled to the US and South Korea. His symptoms began appearing on March 1.
  The tenth case is a Filipino citizen with no travel history outside of the country. He had contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases but his exposure is still under investigation by the DOH.
  March 9
  Ten new cases were initially confirmed on March 9, totaling 20 cases.
  On Monday evening, March 9, President Duterte has formally declared a state of public health emergency in the Philippines. The president also suspended all classes, in public and private, in Metro Manila from March 10 to 14 and confirmed four more cases, totaling 24 cases.
  The first cases in Bulacan, a resident of San Jose del Monte, and Cavite, a resident of Imus, were also confirmed.
  March 10 – Eleven new cases were initially confirmed on March 10. The DOH later corrected that two cases were repeat tests, totaling 33 cases.
  March 11 – Sixteen new cases were confirmed on March 11, totaling 49 cases.
  The Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong temporarily closed after one of its guests, a Singaporean permanent resident, was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19.
  The first case in Negros Oriental and in the Visayas was confirmed. He was a local official of the municipality of Tayasan, and had a history of travel to Greenhills, San Juan, where a cluster of COVID-19 cases was confirmed.
  The first case in a resident of Lanao del Sur and in Mindanao was confirmed. He works in Metro Manila but came home to his province. He was first admitted in Iligan, but was then transferred to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan de Oro when he was suspected of having COVID-19.
  The first case in Batangas, a resident of Batangas City, was confirmed.
  March 12
  Three new cases were confirmed on March 12, totaling 52 cases.
  Vice-President Robredo on March 12 addressed the public about COVID-19. The vice-president urged the government to adopt work from home, fast-track the process of test-kits, and protect the vulnerable from the pandemic.
  President Duterte announces a partial lockdown on Metro Manila beginning at midnight on March 15 that will cover 16 cities and one municipality. Land, domestic air, and domestic sea travel to and from Metro Manila shall be suspended until April 14, 2020 (international departures will be permitted). Entry travel restrictions shall be imposed upon those traveling from countries with localized COVID-19 transmissions, except for Filipino citizens (including their foreign spouse and children) or holders of Permanent Resident Visas and Diplomat Visas. Mass transportation within Metro Manila shall continue to operate with social distancing guidelines.
  March 13 – Twelve new cases were confirmed on March 13, totaling 64 cases.
  The first cases in Bataan, a resident of Orani, and Pampanga were confirmed.
  March 14
  Forty-seven new cases were confirmed on March 14, totaling 111 cases.
  The province of Oriental Mindoro has been placed under a "voluntary community quarantine."
  The first cases in the provinces of Quezon, a resident of Lucena City, Laguna, a resident of Santa Rosa, and Abra, an Overseas Fi
caption: Police checkpoint near the border of Valenzuela, Metro Manila with Meycauayan, Bulacan. March 19
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