Philippines President Rodrigo&nbsp;Duterte&nbsp;on Thursday told the poor to use gasoline as "disinfectant", amid soaring number of new coronavirus infections in the country.

The mercurial leader reiterated his statement from last week on the use of gasoline for those without access to alcohol. Following his previous comment,&nbsp;Duterte's spokesman had claimed he was simply making a joke.

"What I said is true,"&nbsp;Duterte&nbsp;said in the televised recording released to the media on Friday.

"If alcohol is not available, especially for the poor, just go to the gasoline station and pour drops of gasoline in your hands. That is disinfectant." He also sprayed alcohol in his mouth and grimaced, during the address.

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Duterte&nbsp;on Friday kept coronavirus restrictions in the capital and other provinces until mid-August to contain the spread of the virus, which has infected nearly 90,000 and killed almost 2,000 people in the Philippines.

In a wide-ranging State of the Nation address,&nbsp;Duterte&nbsp;also admitted the government's response to the coronavirus epidemic had been "far from perfect".

Duterte&nbsp;had been expected to use the annual speech to lawmakers to lay out a roadmap for recovery after the economy contracted with millions of jobs lost during more than four months of a nationwide lockdown.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday told the poor to use gasoline as "disinfectant", amid soaring number of new coronavirus infections in the country.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday told the poor to use gasoline as "disinfectant", amid soaring number of new coronavirus infections in the country. The mercurial leader reiterated his statement from last week on the use of gasoline for those without access to alcohol. Following his previous comment, Duterte's spokesman had claimed he was simply making a joke. "What I said is true," Duterte said in the televised recording released to the media on Friday. "If alcohol is not available, especially for the poor, just go to the gasoline station and pour drops of gasoline in your hands. That is disinfectant." He also sprayed alcohol in his mouth and grimaced, during the address. Also read: How Philippines President Duterte is playing into the hands of Xi's China Duterte on Friday kept coronavirus restrictions in the capital and other provinces until mid-August to contain the spread of the virus, which has infected nearly 90,000 and killed almost 2,000 people in the Philippines. In a wide-ranging State of the Nation address, Duterte also admitted the government's response to the coronavirus epidemic had been "far from perfect". Duterte had been expected to use the annual speech to lawmakers to lay out a roadmap for recovery after the economy contracted with millions of jobs lost during more than four months of a nationwide lockdown.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte tells poor to 'clean masks with petrol'

The Philippines, which was under one of the longest lockdowns in the world, could see more than 200,000 births next year, largely due to unplanned pregnancies in the lockdowns and shortages of contraceptives.

The projections by the University of the Philippines Population Institute and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), claim 214,000 more babies to be born next year, and if held true would be country's highest in over two decades.&nbsp;

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Health workers say that movement restrictions imposed in March prevented both patients and medical personnel from reaching clinics for months, and are now leading to shortages in the supply of condoms and other contraceptives in the region.&nbsp;

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Nandy Senoc, executive director of the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) said that despite their staff continued offering services, all work has been negatively affected. He said that government facilities were opened, but were inaccessible, reported The Guardian.

The supply of contraceptives was also scarcely available, especially in island provinces and rural areas far from the capital city.&nbsp;

The lockdown restrictions have been eased, but family planning organisations still are operating with skeletal staff to promote social distancing.&nbsp;

Rocelle Casilla, a doctor at a rural hospital in La Union province in the northern Philippines, said many of her patients could not get contraceptives that were due because of the lockdown.&nbsp;

"Women here prefer the injectable contraceptives, which protect them for three months. Many of those who were due for new injections in April, during the hard lockdown, only came to us this month," Casilla said.

The Philippines, which was under one of the longest lockdowns in the world, could see more than 200,000 births next year, largely due to unplanned pregnancies in the lockdowns and shortages of contraceptives.

The Philippines, which was under one of the longest lockdowns in the world, could see more than 200,000 births next year, largely due to unplanned pregnancies in the lockdowns and shortages of contraceptives. The projections by the University of the Philippines Population Institute and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), claim 214,000 more babies to be born next year, and if held true would be country's highest in over two decades. Also read | Anti-terrorism bill as urgent as pandemic: Council defends Philippines President Health workers say that movement restrictions imposed in March prevented both patients and medical personnel from reaching clinics for months, and are now leading to shortages in the supply of condoms and other contraceptives in the region. Also read | Children will not go to schools till vaccine is available: Philippines Nandy Senoc, executive director of the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) said that despite their staff continued offering services, all work has been negatively affected. He said that government facilities were opened, but were inaccessible, reported The Guardian. The supply of contraceptives was also scarcely available, especially in island provinces and rural areas far from the capital city. The lockdown restrictions have been eased, but family planning organisations still are operating with skeletal staff to promote social distancing. Rocelle Casilla, a doctor at a rural hospital in La Union province in the northern Philippines, said many of her patients could not get contraceptives that were due because of the lockdown. "Women here prefer the injectable contraceptives, which protect them for three months. Many of those who were due for new injections in April, during the hard lockdown, only came to us this month," Casilla said.

Coronavirus lockdown could lead to highest births in Philippines in two decades

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Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte tells poor to 'clean masks with petrol'

Coronavirus lockdown could lead to highest births in Philippines in two decades