Hours after the Senate decided to declare a lockdown, the House of Representatives also decided to suspend plenary sessions for the remainder of the week and close down the Batasan Pambansa complex starting Tuesday, Jan. 18.
Regular sessions will resume Jan. 24 with both legislative chambers left with only six more plenary meetings to act on pending bills when lawmakers and the congressional staff return to work.
Adjournment for the campaign and election period will start February 5. Lawmakers will return to the plenary on May 22 as Congress convenes into the national board of canvassers.
“We arrived at such decision to control the spread of the fast-moving coronavirus that has also affected our members and staff,” Speaker Lord Allan Velasco announced.
“Since the start of the year, more than 70 House members and employees have contracted the virus and many others are undergoing quarantine or self-isolation after exhibiting symptoms or having close contact with people who tested positive for COVID-19,” Velasco said.
Both Senate and Lower House conducted plenary session on Monday after leaders declared an extended two-week lockdown.
“Despite this, we continue to fulfill our constitutional duty of enacting laws that promote the interests and welfare of our people, while taking restrictive yet necessary measures to create a safe environment for House members and employees,” said Velasco.
Congressmen boast of having able to pass on third and final reading a total 19 bills, ten of which are of national application during the Monday session.
“When we resumed session last Monday, we wasted no time to approve on third and final reading a total of 19 bills, 10 of them are of national significance, including aid for higher education, additional benefits for senior citizens, rural financial inclusion, and tax cut to help the live entertainment industry recover from the impact of the pandemic,” the Speaker said in a statement.
According to him the Lower House was also able to ratify the bicameral committee report on the proposed Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, and designated the House contingents to the bicameral conference committees that will finalize the bills establishing separate facility for high level offenders; regulating the manufacture, use, packaging, distribution, advertisement and promotion of vape; amending the Public Service Act; amending the Contractors’ License Law; requiring SIM card registration; and institutionalizing “Timbangan ng Bayan Centers” in public and private markets.
“The House will resume session on January 24 and we hope that the COVID-19 situation has already improved by then so we could finish all pending priority measures before we adjourn for the election period,” he said.