No need to postpone SONA despite A(H1N1) threat - Nograles
MANILA, Philippines - The precarious "situation" at the House of Representatives due to the A(H1N1) threat is expected to stabilize soon and therefore will not necessitate the postponement of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s state-of-the-nation address (SONA) next month.
This was according to Speaker Prospero Nograles, who on Thursday said he is not keen on proposals to have the President’s annual address postponed despite the three confirmed cases of A(H1N1) infection among House employees.
"I'm not personally so keen about postponement of the SONA. The situation in the House is expected to stabilize and be contained by next week and the event is still July 27 which is more than enough time to address the issue of the H1N1," he said in a statement.
The Batasan Pambansa Complex has been closed since Tuesday, a day after the government announced the first A(H1N1)-related death in the country and in Asia. The 49-year-old victim turned out to be a House employee.
Two more House employees had been found positive for A(H1N1) virus but are now recuperating at their respective homes.
Nograles had earlier said the House would be closed until Sunday in order to disinfect the entire building.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the House Committee on Health is mulling on inviting Health officials in a hearing to explain the delay in announcing the A(H1N1)-related fatality.
The victim, an employee on the third floor of the Ramon V. Mitra building in the Batasan complex, died last June 19 but the Department of Health (DOH) only made the announcement last Monday, June 22.
A GMA Flash Report on Thursday afternoon quoted South Cotabato Rep. Arthur Pingoy as saying that they are not satisfied with the DOH’s statement that it did not immediately made the announcement to prevent public panic.
Pingoy reportedly said they intend to ask DOH officials the standard operating procedure that was observed in announcing the A(H1N1)-related death. - GMANews.TV
This was according to Speaker Prospero Nograles, who on Thursday said he is not keen on proposals to have the President’s annual address postponed despite the three confirmed cases of A(H1N1) infection among House employees.
"I'm not personally so keen about postponement of the SONA. The situation in the House is expected to stabilize and be contained by next week and the event is still July 27 which is more than enough time to address the issue of the H1N1," he said in a statement.
The Batasan Pambansa Complex has been closed since Tuesday, a day after the government announced the first A(H1N1)-related death in the country and in Asia. The 49-year-old victim turned out to be a House employee.
Two more House employees had been found positive for A(H1N1) virus but are now recuperating at their respective homes.
Nograles had earlier said the House would be closed until Sunday in order to disinfect the entire building.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the House Committee on Health is mulling on inviting Health officials in a hearing to explain the delay in announcing the A(H1N1)-related fatality.
The victim, an employee on the third floor of the Ramon V. Mitra building in the Batasan complex, died last June 19 but the Department of Health (DOH) only made the announcement last Monday, June 22.
A GMA Flash Report on Thursday afternoon quoted South Cotabato Rep. Arthur Pingoy as saying that they are not satisfied with the DOH’s statement that it did not immediately made the announcement to prevent public panic.
Pingoy reportedly said they intend to ask DOH officials the standard operating procedure that was observed in announcing the A(H1N1)-related death. - GMANews.TV
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