COVID-19 News
Senate passes bill granting PRRD special powers vs. Covid-19 By Jose Cielito Reganit
MANILA – The Senate on Tuesday approved on third and final reading an urgent measure authorizing President Rodrigo Duterte to exercise additional powers necessary to address the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) situation in the country. Senate Bill No. 1418, titled “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act,” was approved by all 12 senators who were physically present in the plenary.
Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sonny Angara, Joel Villanueva, Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, and Francis Pangilinan voted in the affirmative, while Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed a negative vote Led by Senate President Vicente via the phoned-in manifestations. Sotto III, the other senators present were acting Majority Leader Sherwin Introduced by Sotto and Gatchalian, Senators Pia Cayetano, Cayetano, SB 1418 authorizes President Christopher “Bong” Go, Francis Duterte to “reprogram, reallocate, and Tolentino, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, realign any appropriation” in the 2020 Manny Pacquiao, Grace Poe, Ralph budget which will be used in the fight Recto, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and against Covid-19. Richard Gordon. The measure also empowers Meanwhile, eight senators the President to “direct the operation manifested their respective votes via of any privately-owned hospitals phone patch. and medical and health facilities, including passenger vessels, and Senators Ronald dela Rosa, other establishments to house health
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Caraga INFOCUS
March 21-27, 2020
