(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte has called for a special session of Congress for the passage of a supplemental budget against the coronavirus disease 2019.
Senator Bong Go said he and other lawmakers made the recommendation for the special session “to tackle and pass appropriate measures granting a supplemental budget in order to give the President and other concerned agencies the flexibility of utilizing funds as they deem necessary to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease.”
“Based on our discussion, the priority is to ensure that additional funds can be allocated for immediate healthcare needs and for much-needed financial and food assistance to Filipinos, particularly the vulnerable sectors, daily wage earners and informal economy workers affected by the strict quarantine measures being imposed,” he said.
He said Senate President Tito Sotto and Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano were “ready to hold the special session at the soonest possible time, either on Saturday or Monday next week.”
President Duterte has imposed an enhanced community lockdown on Luzon and ordered people to stay at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Philippines has so far recorded over 200 cases.
