Starting Oct. 1, Senate to require medical certificates from visitors

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will start requiring visitors to present a medical certificate declaring them as free of COVID-19 before they can enter its building in Pasay City.

During Wednesday’s plenary session, Senate President Vicente Sotto III announced the new policy as recommended by the chamber’s medical bureau.

“Starting October 1, all visitors [and]  resource persons who will be physically attending hearings in the Senate will be required to submit a medical certificate or clearance that they are COVID-19 free or do not have COVID,” Sotto said.

The medical certificate should be submitted to the Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms (OSAA) “24 hours in advance before coming over.”

Visitors coming to the Senate will also be mandated to wear face shields in accordance with a Pasay City ordinance, according to Sotto.

“It is highly recommended by the Senate medical bureau, especially in the coming budget hearings and the budget deliberations or debates,” he added.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri sought to clarify if the medical certificate should be “equivalent to having” a RT-PCR swab test.

“Because a medical certificate in absence of a swab test may still be dangerous. Kasama na siguro swab test niyan, Mr. [Senate] President, before they enter the Senate?” Zubiri said.

In response, Sotto said a swab test is usually required before the issuance of a medical certificate.

“It is up to their physician. It is usually required by their physician before the physician will issue a medical certificate that that person is COVID-free. Dapat swab or at least an antigen rapid test will suffice,” the Senate president said.

“A swab test for every visitor that goes to the Senate would be the best,” Zubiri said.

Sotto then asked the Senate secretariat to issue a policy order “to that effect so that it will be written in stone.”

The upper chamber earlier shifted to “hybrid” plenary sessions and committee hearings as the coronavirus pandemic triggered restrictions in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

There are so far 37 total reported COVID-19 cases among Senate employees, including staff members of some senators.

Four senators were also sickened by COVID-19 namely Zubiri, and Senators Sonny Angara, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., all of whom have already recovered.

On Wednesday, the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines reached 294,591 with 2,833 newly-reported infections. [ac]