Senators have called on the government to again restrict the holding of mass gatherings and events as more cases of the highly-contagious Delta coronavirus variant are being detected in the Philippines.

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Friday, July 23, proposed the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) the reimposition of the ban on mass gatherings, saying these could easily become superspreader events.

“Pwede naman pong GCQ ang ating classification pero maghigpit tayo sa mga mass gatherings (We can maintain the quarantine classification of general community quarantine but be strict against mass gatherings)," Sotto said.

"Aminado po akong mahalagang ituloy natin ang economic recovery ng ating bansa (I admit our country's economic recovery is important), but it is equally important to make sure that our people are safe from the virus. The publlic’s good health should be the ultimate target when coming up with response measures,” he added.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also shared the same view, saying that while it is "too early" to again place the areas of the country under the most stringent enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or even modified ECQ, "the spread of the virus is definitely picking up."

"I suggest to restrict any form of mass gatherings, events, convergence because these activities are proven to be vectors of the spread of the virus," Gatchalian also said in a text message.

Sotto also backed the the decision of the IATF to recall its resolution allowing children aged five and above outdoors, as recommended by mayors of Metro Manila. He said that suspending the policy would greatly lessen the number of people in public spaces, and thus slow down the transmission of the novel coronavirus.

The Senate leader said policy-makers and health experts must be ready in the eventuality that a surge of Delta variant cases break out.

“Handa na ba ang ating gobyerno kung sakaling magkaroon ng surge ng COVID-19 cases na dulot ng Delta variant? May mga nakahanda na bang response measures? Handa ba ang ating mga healthcare facilities at workers sa pangyayaring ito (Is our government prepared for a possible surge of COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant? Are response measure in place? Are healthcare facilities and workers ready for this eventuality)?" Sotto pressed.

"Mahalagang maramdaman ng ating mga kababayan na kumikilos ang kanilang mga lider para siguruhin ang kanilang kaligtasan (It's important that our people feel that their leaders are acting to ensure their health and safety)...Let us be pro-active. Huwag na nating ulitin ang ating mga pagkakamali noong naguumpisa pa lamang ang pandemic dito sa ating bansa. Kumilos na tayo habang maaga pa, habang wala pang surge (Let's not repeat our mistakes when the pandemic was starting in our country. Let's act while it is early, while there is still no surge)," he appealed.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday, July 22, confirmed the local transmission of the Delta variant of COVID-19. A total of 47 confirmed cases of the Delta infection have so far been recorded in the country.