Atienza wants House to take a break after passing urgent COVID-19 measures

After the House of Representatives has passed all the needed measures to help address the ongoing public health crisis, its leaders should call for a break until the COVID-19 situation has been controlled, Buhay party-list Representative Lito Atienza said.

In a statement on Thursday, Atienza revealed that he has sent a letter to Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano in which he stressed the need for the House to take a break after they have approved all urgent COVID-19 and economic relief measures.

He added that they should only resume their sessions when times have normalized.

"We urge the leadership of Congress to consider calling a break from our emergency sessions being held through the internet via Zoom, while COVID-19 still rages in the country," Atienza said.

"We cannot continue this abnormal way of passing laws thru the internet and via Zoom and even taking up highly contentious and even objectionable measures like the death penalty  and charter change," he added.

Atienza said that continuing to hold sessions even in the face of COVID-19 will only endanger the lives of House employees and put at risk the quality of legislation they pass.

At the same time, he said, controversial issues such as Charter change and the death penalty need to be thoroughly discussed and debated upon, during which all House members should be physically present on the floor.

"Discussing these controversial issues via Zoom greatly deprives us of the opportunity to fully participate in the debates,” he added.

Currently, 36 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the House, including four lawmakers.

Of the 36 COVID-19 cases in the House, three have already died.

In the Senate, a two-week lockdown is being implemented in its building in support ofmedical workers' plea to place Metro Manila under stricter quarantine restrictions anew. 

Senators are set to resume their sessions on August 19, a day after the modified enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces is expected to be lifted. — BM, GMA News