MANILA, Philippines --- Senior citizens who are living alone in their homes should be given a quarantine pass to buy their basic needs during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Thursday.

"Kung talagang sa mga households, wala talagang kasama. Talagang sila lang ang senior, papayagan pa rin natin yan," Año told dzMM when asked about local government units that refuse to give quarantine passes to senior citizens.

(If they are the only senior citizens in their household, they should be allowed to get quarantine passes.)

Año appealed to local government officials to make sure that senior citizens who do not have companions at home will be allowed to go outside to buy medicine and food.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government's (DILG) Emergency Operations will swiftly act on citizens' complaints against abusive local government officials, Año also said.

As of Wednesday, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 636. Of the number, the coronavirus disease has killed 38 individuals while 26 people have recovered from the infectious disease.

COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

The virus causes mild symptoms for most people but it can cause serious illness to older adults and those with existing health conditions.

EDV