MANILA, Philippines — Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri will not be attending the special session of the Senate on Monday after testing positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Zubiri on Sunday wrote a letter addressed to Senate President Vicente Sotto III informing that he will not be able to attend the special session. A copy of the letter was shared by Zubiri to the media.
“I am writing to regretfully inform you that, owing to my positive diagnosis for COVID-19, I will be unable to attend the special session of the Senate on 23 March 2020. Per my doctor’s orders and per the protocols set by the Department of Health, I am to stay under strict self-quarantine at this critical time—both for my recovery and for the prevention of further spread of the virus,” he said in the letter.
“Rest assured that I have made arrangements for an acting Majority Leader to facilitate the session in my absence,” Zubiri added.
Congress is scheduled to hold a special session on Monday to pass a bill that will allow President Rodrigo Duterte to realign funds from available budget to cushion the impact of the crisis on Filipino families whose livelihoods were affected by the pandemic.