Senate opens third regular session of the 18th Congress ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte’s final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 26, 2021. Photo courtesy of Sen. Joel Villanueva’s office
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will resume plenary sessions next week regardless of the quarantine status to be imposed in Metro Manila.
“We will indeed resume [whether] ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) is extended or not,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Thursday in a message to reporters.
According to Sotto, only a limited number of Senate employees will be allowed inside the chamber’s building in Pasay City.
Sotto said the Senate will tackle and pass “urgent” legislations like the amendments to the Retail Liberalization Act and the Public Services Act, among others.
Senate plenary sessions, which are conducted from Monday to Wednesday every week, have been suspended since Aug. 9 in light of the ECQ imposed in Metro Manila.
The ECQ in Metro Manila will last until Aug. 20, unless otherwise extended by the President. Malacañang earlier said a final decision on the matter may be made by Thursday.