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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Senate on ECQ, suspends plenary sessions on Aug. 4-19

Senate on ECQ, suspends plenary sessions on Aug. 4-19

Published Aug 4, 2020 10:24 am

The Senate declared a suspension of its plenary sessions from August 4 to 19 and imposed an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in its premises in recognition of the call of health workers for a "time out" from the surge of COVID-19 cases in the country.

(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

Members of the Upper Chamber unanimously approved on Monday night Senate President Vicente Sotto III's proposal to implement a two-week ECQ within their premises to minimize the movement and transmission of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 

"The call is like a breather or a time out that our already overwhelmed medical system and overburdened frontliners are requesting," Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said in moving for the implementation of the ECQ.

Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also expressed his support for the Senate ECQ.

"Indeed, the medical community has appealed for a return to a stricter community quarantine because they sense that we are losing the battle against COVID-19. I join their call – not for the people to take to the streets but for the people to be off the streets for the next fifteen days," Drilon said.

"As explained by the physicians, we need a time out so that sectors concerned can regroup on how to give us a fighting chance against our unseen enemy. With the consistent rise in infections, healthcare workers are burned out, burdened both physically and mentally, with many of them falling ill. Our health system is overwhelmed; even non-COVID patients have been impacted and are not getting the care they deserve," he added.

Drilon maintained that any quarantine is not the solution to the pandemic but "merely an opportunity to recalibrate our strategy into one which is health-led and science-based, while keeping our health system from breaking down in the meantime."

While plenary sessions are suspended, senators may still hold committee hearings online. Sotto may also declare a resumption of sessions earlier than August 19 "when necessary, to tackle and approve important and pressing legislative matters."

Last Saturday, members of the medical community appealed for the reversion of Metro Manila into ECQ, the strictest of the government's four quarantine classifications.

President Duterte compromised and approved placing  Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, and Cavite under a modified ECQ (MECQ) from August 4 to 18. 

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