House panel passes ‘Better Normal Bill’ to institute protocols amid COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — A proposed measure that aims to “lay the groundwork that will expedite [the] people’s adaptation to the demands of the new normal” amid the COVID-19 pandemic was passed Thursday by a special panel of the House of Representatives.

The House’s Defeat COVID-19 Committee (DCC) approved “The Better Normal for the Workplace, Communities, and Public Spaces Act of 2020,” which states that several government measures being implemented by the government now in response to the coronavirus crisis will be extended for three years or “sooner upon official declaration of the President.”

The bill defining the “better normal” institutes protocols such as the wearing of face masks in public spaces, availability of handwashing and sanitizing stations in public areas, temperature checks, and observance of physical distancing.

Public gatherings are also prohibited under the proposed law, although subject to exceptions as may be provided in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR), while local government units (LGUs) shall regulate gatherings as well as the flow of people in government-managed public spaces just as privately-organized gatherings shall also be highly regulated.

In terms of transportation, the bill suggests universal and mandatory safety measures in terminals, mass transportation, and app-based transport network services.

It said passengers shall be seated one seat apart while the use of contactless payment mechanisms will be applied. However, the bill said operation of motorcycle taxis shall remain suspended.

As for the education sector, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) are authorized to determine the start of the academic year, according to the bill.

The education department is also tasked to develop flexible learning programs to limit physical contact in schools, and students “shall not be penalized for inability to participate due to limitations in connectivity or unavailability of gadgets or equipment.”

For private commercial and industrial workplaces, the bill said firms should submit a Better Normal Workforce and Workplace Management Plan, which shall also incorporate alternative work arrangements.

The proposed measure tasks LGUs to ensure the proper implementation of the provisions once approved into law.

“With this measure, we seek to lay the groundwork that will expedite our people’s adaptation to the demands of the new normal. The soonest we adapt, businesses can resume operations and workers can go back to their jobs without fear of contracting the dreaded coronavirus,” House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, who chairs the DCC, said during the hearing.

“Through safety and health protocols including physical distancing, we can also keep our families safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” he added.

The bill will now be taken to the plenary for further debates.