Senate session to remain suspended on Tuesday over COVID-19

Senators on Monday decided to suspend work at the chamber on Tuesday as its plenary session will only resume on the afternoon of March 11 after the number of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surged to 20.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, citing health risks, moved to suspend the session until 1 p.m. of March 11, 2020.

"With the agreements that our staff, with the discretion of the senators involved, do not necessarily have to come to work," he said during the plenary session.

"The public as well is refrained from visiting the Senate premises at this time," he added.

Commission on Appointment hearings will push through on Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, those who have scheduled committee hearings on Tuesday may still push through "at their own risk," according to Zubiri.

Senator Francis Tolentino manifested that he will not postpone the local committee government's hearing on the implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

"Having invited so many resource persons for tomorrow's first Bangsamoro oversight hearing, I will take the risk. I think it is my solemn duty to proceed with the committee hearing considering the number of resource persons already here in Metro Manila," he said.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also said that the committee hearing regarding the operations of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has not been cancelled yet.

"This (hearing) is very important in terms of national security so we decided to push through but again this is subject to changes from now to early tomorrow. The situation kasi is changing," he said. —NB, GMA News