This article attempts to document the timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines in 2020.

Timeline January

January 29 - Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III announced that the country is now equipped to test samples for novel coronavirus through the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa. Previously, the said laboratory could only test samples for SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, and DOH had been sending samples to the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) in Melbourne, Australia.

January 30 - DOH confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the country, from a 38-year-old Chinese woman after her confirmatory test results arrived from VIDRL. The said Chinese together with her husband which is a 44-years-old-Chinese national, arrived in the country from Wuhan, China via a Hong Kong-Cebu flight on January 21, 2020; travelled and arrived in Dumaguete on January 22, 2020; then they took a flight to Manila and finally admitted in San Lazaro Hospital on the same day on January 25, 2020, after experiencing symptoms.

February February 2 – DOH confirmed the second case of novel coronavirus, which also then became the first recorded death outside China. Died on February 1, 2020, the said case is a 44-year-old-male Chinese companion of the first reported carrier. February 5 The first confirmed case of a Filipino citizen outside the Philippines was announced. The case is of a crew member of the cruise ship Diamond Princess quarantined off the coast of Yokohama, Japan. A total of 7 passengers and 531 crew members of the said ship are Filipinos. Eventually, 41 of them became confirmed cases. The third case in the country was confirmed, from a 60-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan. She traveled from Wuhan via a Hong Kong-Cebu flight on January 20, and headed directly to Bohol. On January 22, she admitted in an undisclosed hospital in Tagbilaran City after experiencing symptoms. It is also the first reported case in the Visayas, Central Visayas, and Bohol. February 9–22 – Repatriates from Wuhan were quarantined at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. None of them displayed any symptoms during the quarantine period and was released after they were cleared for the disease.

March March 5 The fourth case is a 48-year-old male Filipino lawyer and employee of Deloitte at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, who had recent travel history in Japan and later admitted at RITM. It is the first case of a Filipino citizen inside the country. The fifth case is a 62-year-old male Filipino resident of Cainta, Rizal and later succumbed. March 6 The sixth case is the 59-year-old wife of the fifth case diagnosed on March 5, also a resident of Cainta, Rizal, and eventually deceased. 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 38-year-old-male Taiwanese national who got infected by another Taiwanese national that recently visited the Philippines. His symptoms began appearing on March 3 and later admitted at Makati Medical Center. The eighth case is a 32-year-old-male Filipino citizen, a resident of Pasig City that recently visited Japan in the past two weeks. His symptoms began appearing on March 5 and later admitted at St. Luke's Medical Center – Global City. The ninth case is an 86-year-old-male American national with pre-existing hypertension that recently traveled to the US and South Korea. His symptoms began appearing on March 1 and later admitted at The Medical City-SM City Marikina. The tenth case is a 57-year-old-male Filipino citizen, resident of Quezon City 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 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. Ten new cases were initially confirmed on March 9, totaling 20 cases. Included in the list are the following: San Juan City confirmed its first case, which is also the eleventh case, a 72-year-old-male Filipino resident with no travel history and later admitted at St. Luke's Medical Center-QC. Cavite reported its first case, also the 20th case, a 48-year-old-male Filipino resident of Imus with recent travel history in Japan. Bulacan logged its first case, a 58-year-old-female Filipino resident of San Jose del Monte and later admitted at Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital-Caloocan. This also became the first confirmed case in Caloocan. March 10 – Eleven new cases were initially confirmed on March 10. The DOH later corrected that two cases were repeat tests, totaling 33 cases. Confirmed first 2 Filipino crew members from MV Diamond Princess cruise, a 31-year-old-male Negros Oriental and a 34-year-old-male from Camarines Sur. They were later admitted at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in Pampanga. 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. Mandaluyong confirmed first case, a 53-year-old Filipino male and was later admitted at the St. Luke's Medical Center – Quezon City. Negros Oriental logged its first case, a 64-year-old-male local official of Tayasan, and had a history of travel to Greenhills, San Juan, where a cluster of COVID-19 cases was confirmed. He was later admitted at Ace Dumaguete Doctors Hospital. Confirmed first case in Mindanao, a 54-year-old male resident of Lanao del Sur. He works in Pasig City but came home to his province. He was first admitted at the Adventist Medical Center in Iligan, but later transferred to Northern Mindanao Medical Center, and died on March 13. The patient also became the first case of COVID-19 for Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Lanao del Sur. March 12 Three new cases were confirmed on March 12, totaling 52 cases. Las Piñas City confirmed its first case, a 53-year-old-male Filipino with no travel history and was confined at Las Piñas General Hospital and Trauma Center. 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. Bataan reported its first case, a 32-year-old-male resident of Orani and later confined at Bataan St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center. Batangas confirmed first case, a resident of Batangas City with travel history in London and later admitted at Batangas Medical Center. Oriental Mindoro has been placed under a voluntary community quarantine through Executive Order No. 22 issued by Governor Humerlito Dolor, imposing a 12-day lockdown, starting at 12:01 p.m. on Saturday, March 14 until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25. Pampanga logged its first case, a 67-year-old-male resident of San Fernando and later admitted at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Medical Center. Parañaque City confirmed its first COVID-19 case, PH85 - a 38 male. March 14 Forty-seven new cases were confirmed on March 14, totaling 111 cases. Abra and Cordillera Region confirmed its first COVID-19 case, a 39-year-old OFW seaman with travel history in the UAE and a resident of Catacdegan Nuevo, Manabo. The said OFW also became the first case in La Union upon learning that he visited his ailing mother at Lorma Medical Center in San Fernando, where he was earlier listed as person under investigation (PUI). Pasay City confirmed its first COVID-19 case, PH86 - a 46-year-old male resident with known exposure to a carrier and later admitted at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. March 15 The National Capital Region and the municipality of Cainta in Rizal have been placed under "community quarantine" or a partial lockdown that will last until April 14. Twenty-nine new cases have been confirmed on March 15, totaling 140 cases. Antipolo confirmed its first case, a 60-year-old-male Filipino resident with travel history in Japan and later confined at Fatima University Medical Center, Antipolo. Laguna logged its first case, a resident of Santa Rosa Muntinlupa City confirmed its first COVID-19 case, (PH139) - a 44-year-old female resident with no recent travel history and monitored at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine Quezon province confirmed its first case, a 35-year-old male resident of Lucena with travel history in Thailand and Singapore. Confirmed first case in Davao Region, a 21-year-old Filipina resident of Pantukan with travel history in the UK and Qatar and later admitted at Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum, propelling cities of Davao and Tagum to declare a "partial lockdown". This is also the first reported COVID-19 case for Davao City, Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte. The PNP announced that an officer assigned to the CIDG showed symptoms of COVID-19 while having a diabetic condition. He died on March 14 with the test results released by March 17. March 16 Two new cases have been confirmed on March 16, totaling 142 cases. President Duterte announces the placement of the entire island of Luzon including its associated islands on "enhanced community quarantine," in effect imposing a lockdown on the island. March 17 The Department of Health confirmed that the occurrence of community-based transmission of the coronavirus in the Philippines. Forty-five new cases were confirmed on March 17, totaling 187 cases. A Diamond Princess repatriate who tested positive of the virus has completely recovered from the disease and was discharged within the same day. This brings a total of 4 recoveries among infected patients in the Philippines. On March 17, President Rodrigo Duterte has signed Proclamation No. 929 that placed the entire Philippines under the state of calamity on account of COVID-19. March 18 Six new cases were confirmed on March 18, totaling 193 cases. Cebu confirmed first case, a 65-year-old man resident of Mandaue, later confined at Chong Hua Hospital-Mandaue. Cotabato City and Soccsksargen Region confirmed its first COVID-19 case, a 32-year-old Islamic missionary resident of Lanao del Sur who recently attended a tabligh gathering in Kuala Lumpur from February 27 to March 1. He was later confined at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center. The total confirmed cases of COVID-19 surpassed the 200-benchmark. Eleven new cases were later confirmed, totaling 202 cases. Three fatalities were confirmed totaling 17 deaths.

March 19 Fifteen new cases were confirmed on March 19, totaling 217 cases. Valenzuela City confirmed its first COVID-19 case, a 34-year-old female resident with no travel history but was exposed to a known carrier who travelled from Malaysia. DOH Secretary Francisco Duque was placed under home quarantine after one of the department's senior officials tested positive for the disease.