Senate logs 39 active COVID-19 cases; to reduce on-site staff

Senate President and Commission on Appointments (CA) chairman Vicente C. Sotto III bangs the gavel as he presides over the hybrid plenary session of the CA on the confirmation of the nominations and ad interim appointments of 20 foreign service officials and 40 senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Wednesday, September 1, 2020. All the nominees and appointees were confirmed by the commission during the session. (Alex Nueva España/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will further reduce the number of its employees who will be asked to physically report for work as the chamber records 39 active COVID-19 cases among staff members, with 168 currently in quarantine.

During Wednesday’s session, Senate President Vicente Sotto III informed his colleagues of a memorandum addressed to him by the Senate secretariat regarding the rise in cases among the chamber’s personnel.

Sotto said the chamber’s Medical and Dental Bureau (MDB), through the Senate secretariat, had recommended several measures to “stem a possible surge brought about by the Delta variant.”

“First, reduce the number of Senate employees who will report for work on a daily basis from 50 percent to 25 percent except for officers and staff who are required to be physically present to perform their official functions,” Sotto said, citing the letter.

“Number two, only those employees with essential functions related to plenary sessions shall be allowed to enter the session hall,” he added.

As of Wednesday, the Senate has recorded 39 active cases among the chamber’s employees, according to Sotto.

The majority of these cases are secretariat employees, he added.

“The MDB likewise directed that 168 employees undergo quarantine,” Sotto said.

In the case of the Senate’s Bills and Index Service, 10 of its 32 personnel have already tested positive for COVID-19, noted Sotto.

“In view of this alarming situation…they  (Senate secretariat) are respectfully recommending the adoption of these measures that are being proposed by the Medical and Dental Bureau,” the Senate president said.

“So if there is no objection from any of our colleagues, I concur and will agree to the recommendation of the Senate secretariat,” he added.

‘Seriously fearful’

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri agreed to limit the number of staff members allowed to physically report for work.

“With that revelation, I am now seriously fearful of my own and the staff here, the life of our staff… It’s good that we lessen the number of people because I still see a lot of staff here in the Senate,” Zubiri said.

“Siguro dito (plenary) dapat wala pa tayong 10, lahat lahat na. Marami tayong nandito at ninenerbiyos po ako,” he added.

The majority leader mentioned that a long-serving staff member who has been working with his family for nearly 50 years has died due to COVID-19.

“Our oldest staff member, he passed away getting COVID-19, fully vaccinated with Sputnik but because of his advanced age, hindi niya nakayanan,” he added.

“And I also have some staff members also, [including the] chief of the political wing of my office, sick with COVID,” he further said.

Senator Joel Villanueva likewise said a staff member, who has been with him since he became a public servant 20 years ago, also succumbed to COVID-19.

READ: DOH: 86 more COVID-19 patients die; total deaths now 33,533

/MUF