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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Congress special session deferred; Senate, House leaders to meet with Cabinet first to discuss additional funding 

Congress special session deferred; Senate, House leaders to meet with Cabinet first to discuss additional funding 

Published Mar 20, 2020 12:00 am
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola 
 
Leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives are set to meet with members of President Duterte's Cabinet on Saturday (March 21) to discuss the additional funding that will help the government in its efforts against the  coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Senate President Vicente Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III
(Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN)
 
Senate President Vicente Sotto III announced this Friday night as he told media that the special session initially set for Saturday was "postponed", and "converted to a meeting" instead.
 
"We will discuss tomorrow how to empower, give government flexibilty to address present crisis," he said in a series of messages on Viber.
 
He was quick to clarify that they decided to hold off the planned special Congress session to first finalize the "terms" on how lawmakers will go about the additional funds for COVID-19 response.
 
"They want to discuss the parameters para malinaw at mabilis kaya (so that we are clear and quick in approving it that is why) we meet with House counterparts and executive department muna (first) to finish the bill," he said.
 
The meeting in Malacanang is set at 2 p.m., and will be attended by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado, and their counterparts in the Lower Chamber to be led by House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Sotto said.
 
Sotto said Sen. Pia Cayetano, who chairs the Senate ways and means committee, will attend with him in the stead of Finance committee chair Sen. Sonny Angara.
 
The Senate chief earlier on Friday said that Congress may have to pass a bill that would allow President Duterte to utilize unused government appropriations to augment the funds needed to address the current health emergency, including measures to prevent a possible food and financial crisis due to the enhanced community quarantine imposed in Luzon.
 
Legislators are looking to appropriate additional funds for the provision of cash assistance to workers and families displaced by the strict quarantine measures.
 
Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go, in a separate statement echoing Sotto's announcement, said Congress is "ready to pass a bill to realign funds in order to help government address the COVID-19 situation."
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