Filtered By: Topstories
News
AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Pia Cayetano says emergency situation calls for 'special authorities' for Duterte


Granting special authorities to President Rodrigo Duterte is necessary to temper the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVD-19) to Filipinos, Senator Pia Cayetano said Monday as the Senate opened its special session.

"To those who are concerned about the special authorities we will give the President through this bill, let me remind you that we are now in an emergency situation," Cayetano said in a Facebook live message.

"The government has to have the ability to make decisions fast, including the allocation of P200 billion for the poorest Filipinos," she added.

The Senate is already convened as a body and consultation with some Cabinet members is ongoing, Cayetano said.

The special session at the Senate is temporarily suspended while Cayetano is compiling the proposed amendments to Senate Bill No. 1413 which she and Senate President Vicente Sotto III principally authored. Cayetano will sponsor the bill on the floor.

The proposed legislative measure seeks to declare the existence of a national emergency and to authorize President Rodrigo Duterte to exercise powers necessary for COVID-19 response, including the realignment of budget and direction of operations of private hospitals and other medical facilities.

Sotto earlier said the legal move would make it possible to release P200 billion to support for two months the 18 million low-income households in the country who are likely to starve without government assistance while an enhanced community quarantine is in place.—AOL, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT