The third regular session of the 18th Congress in the Senate officially opened on Monday (July 26).
The session was conducted in a “hybrid” manner where 13 senators physically attended the session and 10 attended virtually, in accordance with health protocols as well as a precautionary measure against the threat of the COVID-19 Delta variant.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the online sessions of the Senate did not become a hindrance for the lawmakers to pass bills and investigate any anomalies in the government.
Aside from the passing of the Bayanihan laws, the Senate also passed in February the Vaccination Program Act of 2021 that aims to appropriately allocate funds and ensure the proper rollout of COVID-19 vaccines nationwide.
“The Senate supports all efforts to keep our population COVID-19 resistant,” Sotto said.
“Sa abot ng makakaya, patuloy na maglalaan ang Senado ng pondo sa lahat ng programa ng gobyerno sa paglaban sa COVID-19. Galing sa buwis ang mga pondo ito. Kung kaya alinsunod sa ating oversight authority, [ipagpapatuloy ng] Senado ang layunin, proseso, at pamamaraan na paggamit ng mga pondong ito.”
Sotto added that there are plenty of measures the Senate still needs to discuss, such as bills on disaster preparedness and management, as well as environment protection; bills against corruption; and bills to support overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“The Senate will not abandon the OFWs. ‘Wag natin kakalimutan ang ating mga bagong bayani,” he said.
“We will continuously seek to expose corruption in public service and direct the searchlight of one of our committees towards the dark corners of our bureaucracy where corruption and injustice thrive unnoticed,” he added.
Meanwhile, with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte set to deliver his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) today, several senators shared their thoughts about the country’s situation for the past years under the Duterte administration.
Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa gave the President a rating of 9.5 out of 10 for all his accomplishments in the last five years.
“9.5 rating nya sa akin. He will narrate all the accomplishments of his administration,” he said.
However, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said President Duterte did not accomplish a proper pandemic response, resolve the West Philippine Sea issue, and did not do well in the fight against corruption.
For Sen. Bong Go, he will let the people be the judge of Duterte’s accomplishments.
“Let the people be the judge. Sila na po ang humusga kung natupad ba. ‘Yung unang SONA niya, nabanggit niya po itong kampanya laban sa korapsyon sa gobyerno, kampanya laban sa kriminalidad, kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga,” he said.
The Chief Executive is expected to deliver his SONA at the Batasan Complex on Monday afternoon.
Report from Eunice Samonte/NGS – jlo
