Senate to resume session on May 4 despite extended ECQ in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines —Despite the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila, the Senate will still resume its regular session on May 4.

“As far as Congress is concerned, it does not matter. We have to convene,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III told reporters in a Viber message on Friday.

New seating arrangements for senators to observe social distancing inside the Session Hall at the Philippine Senate in Pasay City, Metro Manila on 23 March 2020. (Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB)

President Rodrigo Duterte extended the ECQ in the National Capital Region and other “high risk” areas until May 15, 2020.

Congress is on recess since March 12 and will resume session nearly two weeks before the end of the extended quarantine period.

Asked if all senators would physically attend the resumption of session on May 4, Sotto said: “Yes and I don’t have to ask.”

“It’s a mandate of our legislative calendar,” he added.

Duterte earlier placed the entire Luzon under ECQ as cases of the coronavirus disease 2019  (COVID-19) in the country continued to increase.

Initially, the quarantine was supposed to lapse on April 13 but the President eventually extended the lockdown period until April 30.

To date, there are so far 6,981 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.

Seven hundred twenty two  patients have recovered while 462 have died.

GSG