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Covid 19
Covid 19
This Bill, when enacted into law, will authorize President Rodrigo Duterte to
exercise additional powers necessary to address the COVID-19 situation in
the country.
Led by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, the plenary was attended by 12
senators while eight senators manifested their respective votes via phone
patch.
The bill also guarantees that public health workers tending to Covid-19
patients and other related procedures will be entitled to additional
compensation on top of their usual hazard pay.
The Senate on Tuesday approved on third and final reading an urgent measure
authorizing President Rodrigo Duterte to exercise additional powers necessary
to address the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) situation in the country.
Senate Bill No. 1418, titled "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act," was approved by all
12 senators who were physically present in the plenary.
Led by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, the other senators present were
acting Majority Leader Sherwin Gatchalian, Senators Pia Cayetano, Christopher
"Bong" Go, Francis Tolentino, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Manny Pacquiao, Grace
Poe, Ralph Recto, Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., and Richard Gordon.
Meanwhile, eight senators manifested their respective votes via phone patch.
Senators Ronald dela Rosa, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sonny Angara, Joel Villanueva,
Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, and Francis Pangilinan voted in the affirmative,
while Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed a negative vote via the phoned-in
manifestations.
Should private business owners "unjustifiably refuse or signified that they are no
longer capable of operating their enterprises" as directed by the executive
department, the President “ may take over their operations subject to the limits
and safeguards enshrined in the Constitution".
SB 1418 also authorizes President Duterte to, among others, expedite and
streamline accreditation of testing kits and facilitate prompt testing; ensure that
all Local Government Units (LGUs) are acting in line with the rules issued by the
national government; continue to enforce measures to protect the people from
hoarding, profiteering, injurious speculations, manipulation of prices, product
deceptions, and cartels; and prioritize the allocation and distribution of medical
supplies to coronavirus-referral hospitals, public and private laboratories, and
health facilities that have capacities to test and care for suspected Covid-19
patients.
The President's authorized powers "shall be valid for three months, unless
amended by Congress".