The 18th Senate convened for its third and last regular session on Monday morning, six hours before President Duterte is to deliver his last State of the Nation Address.
At exactly 10 am, Senate President Vicente Sotto III banged the gavel to open the hybrid session, with some senators allowed to be virtually present, following the same model that has governed the Senate in the past session.
All those in the session hall had face masks, as part of strict health protocols as the Covid-19 pandemic rages, with the dreaded Delta variant believed fueling the spread.
Only a few employees were in the session hall.
The chamber’s first order of business is to approve a resolution, informing Malacanang Palace and the House of Representatives that they are now in session and are ready to hear the President’s Sona in a joint session of Congress at 4pm at the Batasan complex.
Sotto speech
In his speech opening the session, Sotto laid down the priorities for the last regular session.
“First, the Senate supports all efforts to keep our population Covid-resistant,” Sotto said.
The Senate will continue to allot funds for all aspects of the government’s fight against Covid response, Sotto said.
As part of its oversight authority, the Senate will continue to monitor the use of billions of funds for the continuing pandemic response, he added
“Second, the Senate aims to assist families, industries or sectors that generate income,” Sotto said.
He said no effort will be spared to help businesses recover and provide jobs and livelihood to workers.
The Senate, Sotto vowed, will never abandon the overseas Filipino workers who have kept the economy afloat for decades, even during the pandemic.
Besides the three economic liberalization bills, the Senate had earlier committed to continue deliberations on the bill setting up a Department of Overseas Filipinos (Dofil).
Image credits: Simeon Celi Jr./Malacañang Presidential Photographers Division via AP