Senate resumes in-person sessions

Senate of the Philippines | INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

The Senate on Thursday approved the proposal to revert to in-person sessions amid what they perceived to be easing restrictions on COVID-19.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III sought the suspension of the resolution allowing plenary sessions and committee hearings in the upper chamber through teleconference, videoconference or other electronic means.

“But there is no longer an emergency, the worst is alert level 1. We have to show the people that we are working,” Sotto said.

In May 2020, the Senate adopted Resolution No. 43 which amended the Rules of the Senate to allow hybrid plenary sessions and committee hearings, amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Presiding over Thursday’s session, Sotto cited the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the country, as he agreed with Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri’s observation that even children have been allowed to physically attend classes.

He said that according to Rule 11 of the chamber’s rules, committees are allowed to conduct hearings via teleconference “due to force majeure or occurrence of an emergency.”

The main reason for the application of Rule 11, which is the pandemic, has begun to cease, he said.

READ: No more hybrid Senate sessions in remaining days of 18th Congress