Senate committee opens hybrid inquiry on COVID-19 situation

Published May 19, 2020 02:07 PM By DONA MAGSINO, GMA News

A Senate hearing centered on COVID-19 updates and impact to various sectors of the Philippine society was formally opened on Tuesday.

The senators agreed to constitute themselves as a Committee of the Whole to facilitate the hybrid inquiry to help legislators craft measures that are tailored to the health and economic needs of the country amid the pandemic.

Participating on the first day of the physical and virtual hearing are Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases chairperson and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., and deputy implementer Vince Dizon.

Economic managers from the Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, and National Economic and Development Authority were also invited as resource speakers.

Representatives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, and the World Health Organization are also expected to provide updates.

This panel’s hearing was initially scheduled on May 11 but executive department officials asked for deferment as they claimed that they will be very busy in the said week.

It was pushed back to May 19 after the Senate honored late legislator Tessie Aquino-Oreta on Monday.—AOL, GMA News

 

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