Cayetano hints at possible special session while Congress is adjourned

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday hinted of a possible special session during the 18th Congress’ sine die adjournment to tackle pending bills up for approval.

“Please be on standby in the next few days for the special session and let’s continue to work hard and pray hard,” he told lawmakers during his adjournment speech.

The House of Representatives adjourned sine die on Friday without passing the proposed Bayanihan to Recover As One Act, which is dubbed as the “Bayanihan 2” bill.

The measure is a supplement bill to the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which will allow President Rodrigo Duterte to exercise his special powers in addressing the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.

It is currently pending in the period of amendments and will be up for second reading approval.

The bill’s counterpart in the Senate only hurdled second reading approval as the Senate adjourned on Thursday.

President Rodrigo Duterte did not certify the bill as urgent, which would have allowed the legislative branch to expedite its approval in Congress.

Instead, the President certified as urgent the Anti-Terrorism bill which allowed the House to railroad its final reading approval.

Since the House adopted on Friday the Senate version of the measure, Senate Bill 1083, it would no longer need to undergo a bicameral conference hearing, and will go straight to the Malacañang for the President’s signature.

EDV