The Senate will be on lockdown for nearly a week after a number of its personnel tested positive for COVID-19, lawmakers say.
The chamber just resumed session after a one-day shutdown due to confirmed COVID-19 cases among members of its Bills and Index Office. Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said a total of 24 Senate personnel have been infected.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the upper house will be closing its doors again starting Wednesday night until Tuesday evening . He made the announcement as the Senate extended Wednesday's plenary session, which was supposed to end at 6 p.m. “We have decided to extend because as recommended by the Senate secretariat and the medical services of the Senate, we have to declare a lockdown in the Senate,” Sotto said.
“We'll have no session Monday and Tuesday because of the lockdown. So we will resume on Wednesday only,” Sotto added, as he and his colleagues tackled pending local bills.The lower house, meanwhile, has 29 active COVID-19 cases. House Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza however said there is no need to place the Batasang Pambansa on lockdown calling the situation"controlled" and"managed.