‘Business as usual’ in Senate, but with skeletal staff — Sotto

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Friday said that it is still business as usual in the Senate even though employees will take turns on a skeletal schedule to man their respective offices to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

“I wish to assure our people that the Senate will continue to function and there will be no disruption in our mandate as public officials,” Sotto said in a statement.

Duterte on Thursday night ordered the suspension of work in the executive branch, starting from March 12 to April 12 “without prejudice to the formation of skeletal workforces by government agencies.”

The suspension was in light of the expansion of the COVID-19 alert system to Code Red, sub-level 2.

Aside from this, Duterte has also placed Metro Manila under “community quarantine” as recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

As of Friday, the country has 52 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Sotto added that Senate employees who are assigned on a skeletal schedule will need to “strictly adhere” to precautionary measures to make sure that the upper chamber is free of the disease.

He also required heads of department to ensure continued operations in their offices, as well as work be done in the fastest time.

The Senate President also reminded his fellow senators that committee hearings are recommended suspended, such until restrictions in Metro Manila are lifted.

EDV