Sotto: Senate plenary sessions suspended from August 9-23 amid ECQ in NCR

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III during the Senate’s plenary session on July 28, 2021. (Joseph Vidal/ Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will not hold plenary sessions from August 9-23 in light of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) that will be imposed again over Metro Manila.

The chamber initially planned to only suspend sessions from August 9-11, but Senate President Vicente Sotto III told reporters Monday night that he will halt sessions in the next two weeks starting this Wednesday.

“…I will suspend (sessions) on Wed [until Aug. 23] without prejudice to my calling a possible session before the 23rd if it becomes necessary,” Sotto said.

In the wake of the pandemic, the Senate conducts sessions, which are held from Mondays to Wednesdays, in a hybrid manner wherein some senators physically attend while their other colleagues participate through video conferencing.

Panel hearings

As for the conduct of committee hearings during the ECQ period, Sotto said it would be up to the panel chairman.

“As long as virtual-only so that the employees will not be exposed,” he noted.

Metro Manila will go back to ECQ status, the government’s strictest COVID-19 lockdown, from August 6-20, as President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the pandemic task force.

Until then, the nation’s capital region would be under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions until Thursday, August 5.

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