Makabayan bloc lawmakers withdraw vote on bill banning public assemblies

MANILA, Philippines — The six-member Makabayan bloc withdrew on Tuesday their “yes” vote to the approved House bill proposing measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in public and workplaces due to some provisions “not in accord with our party principles.’’

In a letter to Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate sought the retraction of his affirmative vote to House Bill No. 6864, or the “Better Normal for the Workplace, Communities and Public Spaces Act of 2020,’’ which passed the third and final reading on Monday by a unanimous 242-0 vote.

Five other Makabayan lawmakers — Reps. Ferdinand Gaite and Eufemia Cullamat of Bayan Muna, Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, France Castro of ACT Teachers and Sarah Elago of Kabataan —  made the same request, according to Zarate’s staff.

Ban on assemblies

Among other provisions, the bill makes certain COVID-19 health and hygiene protocols mandatory, including the wearing of masks, temperature checks and one-meter physical distancing.

It also bans all public gatherings subject to certain exceptions and mandates local government units (LGUs) to regulate assemblies in government-managed spaces, including the issuance of permits.

“While we recognize that none of the old must remain as we face the aftermath of this pandemic, upon further scrutiny and assessment, we found some major provisions in the approved bill to not be in accord with our party principles,” Zarate said.

He cited the limitation on public gatherings in Section 6 of the bill, which read: “Public gatherings are prohibited subject to exceptions as may be provided under the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of this Act.”Subject to IRR

“LGUs shall regulate public gatherings as well as the flow of people in government-managed spaces, subject to guidelines set in the IRR of this Act, and if necessary, issue a Better Normal permit to provide the limitations on such public gatherings in order to prevent disease transmission,” according to the bill.

Zarate argued that the prohibition on gatherings “impinges on the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of our people to express themselves and to petition the government for redress of grievan­ces.”

“In these days that the freedom of speech and expression are besieged, we cannot, in good conscience, support acts that we believe might only further curtail the said rights,” he added.