(Eagle News) – The Senate resumes sessions today, Monday, May 4, but largely through teleconferencing and online means.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto said that he has to convene the senate today, and that at least 12 senators had signified their intention to attend, so they could amend rules to allow “teleconferencing” for senate sessions.
“Delikado or hindi, yun bang pagtanong natin ng delikado, tinatanong natin yung guwardiya sa mga hospital, yung mga health workers, yung mga nagdedeliver ng pagkain, takot ba sila? Tapos sasabihin itong mga senador, hindi gawin ang trabaho nila, eh mandato ng Constitution yun na magkaroon kami ng legislative calendar at sundin namin ito,” he said in an interview with DZBB over the weekend.
“So, ang remedyo na naiisip nung iba is mag teleconferencing daw pero pwedeng gawin yun pagkatapos naming mag convene at mag-approve ng rules namin na papayagan na namin yun. Kailangan muna tawagin ko ito, icoconvene ko ito ng alas-kuatro, pagkatapos ay iaapprove namin yung baguhin yung rules namin na payagan ang teleconferencing,” he said.
He said that that technically this requires publication of any amendments to be done.
Sotto said that he intends to be physically present in the Senate sessions and he noted that there are disinfection and other precautionary procedures at the Senate amid the virus pandemic.
This includes the use of thermal scanners, disinfection at the entrance and elevators, as well as rapid testing for COVID-19 every Monday.
Sotto said that most of the senators wanted full teleconfencing procedures but he said that they have to amend the rules first to allow this.
“Merong mga iba na gusto full teleconferencing na. Ang gusto pa nga ng iba Monday mismo wala ng pumasok, teleconferencing yung iniisip nung iba pero hindi nga pwede. I wish pwede pero hindi pwede at saka aside from hindi pwede, sa tingin ko at yun ang pananaw ko, pangalawa, nakakahiya sa mga kababayan natin, nahihiya ako, hindi ko kayang gawin yun,” he said in the interview with DZBB.
He said that the senate will push for full teleconferencing for Senate committee hearings.
“Babaguhin namin yung rules papayagan namin ang teleconferencing, full teleconferencing, sa committee hearing,” he said.
He said that the Senate secretariat will be preparing the requirements for this such as recordings and monitoring of hearings.
The Senate also hopes to amend the law on schedule of class opening to September, as well as other laws that need changes to allow protocols being enforced by the Executive Department amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
