Sotto says Bayanihan law will be extended before Congress adjourns in June

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday gave assurance that the Senate would approve the extension of the law which grants the President additional powers to address the coronavirus pandemic before Congress adjourns on June 3.

“Yung Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, walang kaduda-duda na mae-extend namin yon. In what form at kung ano yung amendments, depende sa usapan mamaya,” Sotto told reporters in an online interview.

(No doubt we will extend the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. But in what form and what would be the amendments will depend on our discussions later.)

Under the law, Duterte, for a limited period, was also granted powers to reallocate government funds to measures against COVID-19.

Earlier, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said a three-month extension of the law would be “ideal.”

A bill seeking a three-month extension of Duterte’s special powers to address the COVID-19 pandemic has already been filed in the House of Representatives.

But on the part of the Senate, Sotto said there is no specified duration of the proposed extension.

“Para ito maipasa namin pagdedebatihan lang namin pero… either the House or the Senate will adopt each other’s version. Kailangan ganon ang mangyari diyan para mapasa na kaagad,” the Senate president said.

(For us to pass this, we will debate on this… either the House or the Senate will adopt each other’s version. This needs to happen for us to immediately pass this).

To date, Philippine health officials have 14,669 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country. Of the number, 3,412 have recovered while 886 have died.

The COVID-19 crisis has triggered government-imposed lockdowns that have displaced workers and crippled the economy.

EDV