House of Representatives on lockdown amid Omicron threat

Batasang Pambansa, home of the House of Representatives, is placed on lockdown amid the spike in COVID-19 infections in the country, especially in the National Capital Region.

House Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza told reporters on Tuesday that the lockdown was imposed to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, which is believed to be responsible for the rise of COVID-19 cases in the country.

The move is also to ensure the safety of House members, secretariat and other employees, according to Mendoza.

"The HOR is on lockdown to prevent the spread of Omicron. We will resume operations next week for the safety of everyone," Mendoza said in a text message.

There is no update yet on the number of COVID-19 infections in the chamber.

Metro Manila is placed under Alert Level 3 until January 15 to prevent further transmission of the virus. —KBK, GMA News