As the World Health Organization (WHO) will soon declare the end of coronavirus as a global pandemic, the Department of Health (DOH) will still implement restrictions for continuous protection in the country.

"Even [if] the public health emergency will be lifted, we know that the virus is here to stay. So the Philippines will continue to be cautious and vigilant and we will still be imposing the same restrictions," (DOH) officer in charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Tuesday.

If the global emergency status on COVID-19 will be lifted, Vergeire said that it will affect border controls.

However, she also mentioned that despite the loosened border restrictions in the past year, the agency was able to 'manage our COVID-19 cases' in the country.

Meanwhile, WHO is set to have a meeting on Jan 7 to decide whether COVID will still be considered a public health emergency of international concern.