The majority of the member of the Senate voted in favor of Bill 1418 also known as Bayanihan to Heal as One Act giving special powers to President Rodrigo Duterte to address the COVID-19 crisis in the Philippines.

Voting 19-1-0, lawmakers passed the said bill that would give Duterte at least 26 special powers.

However, only 12 senators who were at the plenary will be officially counted while the other who voted via phone call will still be on the records of the Senate.

The bill includes P200-B emergency subsidy for 18-M low-income families,

Each low-income household is expected to receive around P5,000 to P8,000 per month in the form of cash or food

“The exact amount is determined in proportion to the minimum wage of their respective region,” Senator Pia Cayetano, the main sponsor of the bill said.

The Congress also gave Duterte special powers to direct the operations of “privately-owned hospitals, medical and health facilities including passenger vessels and other establishments,” if necessary.

The President may also take over the operations of the said hospitals and establishments if they “unjustifiably refuse or signify that they are no longer capable of operating their enterprises” for COVID-19 response.

It also gives the government to hasten the procurement of items necessary in fighting the COVID-19 and goods needed by the Filipinos who were affected by the enhanced community quarantine.

They also added the “Special Risk Allowance” for health workers.

According to the bill, public and private health workers who will get infected by COVID-19 while on duty will be entitled to receive P100,000 from the government, while medical practitioners who lost their lives because of the virus will be given P1-M each.

The bill also mandates Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to shoulder the medical expenses of the practitioners if they got hospitalized because of the virus.

Here’s the list of the senators who participated in the vote both in the plenary and also via phone call.

The government will get the funds from Government-owned and controlled corporation to ensure that the P4.1-T budget of the government for 2020 would remain “intact”

Voted Yes:

• Senate President Vicente Sotto III
• Win Gatchalian
• Richard J. Gordon
• Panfilo Lacson
• Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa
• Manny Pacquiao
• Christopher “Bong” Go
• Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan
• Ralph Recto
• Cynthia Villar
• Sonny Angara
• Joel VIllanueva
• Juan Miguel Zubiri
• Pia Cayetano
• Lito Lapid
• Grace Poe
• Bong Revilla
• Francis Tolentino
• Nancy Binay

Voted No:

• Risa Hontiveros

Did not vote:

• Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III
• Franklin Drilon
• Leila De Lima
• Imee Marcos

President Duterte is expected to sign the bill as soon as possible.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III expressed his sadness after a lone senator voted against the bill that giving President Rodrigo Duterte additional powers to address the COVID-19 crisis in the Philippines.

Bill 1418, also known as “We BAYANIHAN TO Heal As One Act” both passed the lower and the upper houses, but Sotto still couldn’t hide his frustration that one senator still voted against it despite the need already to address the COVID-19 problem.

According to the Senate records, there are 19 Senators who voted in favor of the bill, while only one voted against.

“Nakakalungkot isipin na kahit kailangan tulungan ang hirap na 18M Filipinos at mga Frontline health workers, meron Pa rin nakuhang bumoto ng contra!” Sotto said.

“Technically, 19 voted in favor, no abstention and I against. 12 voted on the floor,” he added.

Technically, 19 voted in favor, no abstention and I against. 12 voted on the floor. https://t.co/YgtWdNI8BN

— Tito Sotto (@sotto_tito) March 23, 2020

News reports said that the lone Senator who voted ‘no’ is Senator Risa Hontiveros, a known critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.

On her past tweets, Hontiveros already opposed the plan of giving President Duterte special powers to address the problem in the country.

She said that the government should do mass testing as soon as possible instead of giving extra powers to the President.

“We don’t need more executive powers now. We need more COVID-19 tests right now instead. #MassTestingNowPH,especially sa mga pinaka-high risk kagaya ng ating mga health workers,frontliners,elderly at immunocompromised. We need more PPEs for our frontline health workers,too!” Hontiveros said.

“We don’t need more centralization now. Instead, we need to support & complement LGU initiatives, allocate for economic safety nets for poor families, & provide more health facilities for the care of COVID-19 patients,” she added.

We don’t need more centralization now.

Instead, we need to support & complement LGU initiatives, allocate for economic safety nets for poor families, & provide more health facilities for the care of COVID-19 patients.

— risa hontiveros (@risahontiveros) March 22, 2020

“The people need real solutions w/in an overall health strategy to contain COVID-19 & protect the public’s well-being: -more funds to expand our health capacity; -more economic safety nets; &, -more testing & care for COVID-19 patients. Not more powers for the Pres.” she also said.

The people need real solutions w/in an overall health strategy to contain COVID-19 & protect the public’s well-being:
-more funds to expand our health capacity;
-more economic safety nets; &,
-more testing & care for COVID-19 patients.

Not more powers for the Pres.

— risa hontiveros (@risahontiveros) March 22, 2020

The bill approved by Congress showed that the health departments would receive additional funding from savings.

It also hastens the procurement of goods like protective gear for health workers, testing kits and medical supplies.

Public and private health workers who will get severely infected by COVID-19 while on duty will also be entitled to receive P100,000 from the government, while P1-M will be given if the medical practitioners die from the disease.

The bill also mandated the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to shoulder the hospitalization cost of all health workers who will contract the disease.

Senators already discussing Senate Bill 1413 also known as “We Heal As One Act” to give President Rodrigo Duterte special powers to address the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

According to the Senate version of the bill, it will give President Duterte some powers to address the problem like immediate treatment of patients from COVID-19, directing the operation of hospitals, preventing hoarding, and faster procuring of basic goods and properties that could be used as quarantine areas or temporary medical facilities.

The bill was discussed on Saturday and critics suspected that they’re pushing to give emergency powers to President Duterte, however, Senate President Vicente Sotto III denied it.

“By reason thereof, and in order to optimize the efforts of the President to carry out the tasks needed to implement the aforementioned policy, it is imperative to grant him authority subject to such limitations as hereinafter provided,” the bill read.

Here’s the list of the powers being planned to be given to President Rodrigo Duterte:

• Adopt and implement measures to prevent or minimize further transmission of the spread of COVID-19;
• Expedite the medical testing and observation of PUIs and PUMs and the immediate treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19;
• Ensure that all Local Government Units (LGUs) are acting in line with the rules, regulations by the national government’s rules and regulations of enhanced community quarantine;
• Allowing the President to direct operations of privately-owned hospitals or hotels if needed to address the COVID-19 issue and allowing the government to take over the said establishments refuse to comply.
• Continue to adopt measures against hoarding, profiteering of food, medical supply, clothing, medicines, and other necessities.
• Giving the government the most speedy way to procure goods such as protective equipment, food, medicines, alcohols, sanitizers, cleaning materials, testing kits, and other supplies or equipment as may be determined by Department of Health (DOH);
• Faster procurement of real property that could be used as temporary medical facilities;
• Faster procurement to establish or construction of temporary medical facilities;
• Ensure the availability of credit to the productive sectors of the economy especially to the countryside through measures such as but not limited, to lowering effective lending rates of interest and reserve requirements of lending institutions;
• Liberalize the grant of incentives for the manufacture or importation of critical or needed equipment or supplies to address the outbreak in the country;
• Require business to prioritize and accept contracts, subject to fair and reasonable terms, for materials and services necessary to address COVID-19;
• Regulate the limit the operation of all sectors of transportation through land, sea or air, whether private or public;
• Regulate the traffic on all roads, streets, and bridges in the country and removal of illegal constructions in public places.
• Giving alternative working arrangements to all employees and workers affected by COVID-19.
• Power to regulate the distribution and use of power, fuel, energy, and water, and ensure that there’s enough supply for the people.
• Cancellation of appropriate programs, projects or activities of agencies of the executive department, including government-owned corporations to utilize savings.
• Unutilized and unreleased balances in the special purpose fund and money from collections or receipts to be used for the purpose of the state of emergency
• Reallocate any appropriation in the 2020 budget for rehabilitation, social amelioration, and recovery if it may deem necessary to address the COVID-19 emergency.
• Move the deadlines of payment of taxes and fees.
• Undertake such other measures as may be reasonable and necessary to enable the President to carry out the declared national policy subject to the Bill of Rights and other constitutional guarantees.

The bill also required the creation of an oversight committee where the President should submit a weekly report of all the acts of the chief executive using the special powers given to him.

The act should only last for two months or longer if the outbreak still persists.

Defeated senatorial candidate and Human Rights lawyer Chel Diokno opposed the 24-hour curfew that implemented in Muntinlupa City due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Diokno on Twitter shared the news about the 24-hour curfew in Muntinlupa, saying that the said ordinance is against the constitution, saying that it violated the right of the people to move.

He also said that the authorities have no right to punish the minors violating the curfew being imposed in some places in the Philippines, citing that it against the Comprehensive Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 also known as the “Pangilinan law”

“Siyempre nakikiusap tayong manatili lahat sa bahay, pero labag na sa Konstitusyon ang ordinansang ito. Ang “24-hour curfew” ay outright denial of the right to travel and freedom of movement,” Diokno said.

“At ayon sa Comprehensive Juvenile Justice Act, bawal patawan ng penalty ang mga minor para sa curfew violation. Dapat dalhin sila sa kanilang bahay o i-turn-over sa kanilang magulang,” he added.

At ayon sa Comprehensive Juvenile Justice Act, bawal patawan ng penalty ang mga minor para sa curfew violation. Dapat dalhin sila sa kanilang bahay o i-turn-over sa kanilang magulang. (2/2)

— Chel Diokno (@ChelDiokno) March 21, 2020

According to the ordinance of Muntinlupa, the city shall be placed under a 24-hour curfew beginning March 20, 2020.

People caught violating the curfew would be recorded to the blotter of the Barangay and their benefits being received from the Muntinlupa City may get canceled.

If they repeated the same violation, they’re not allowed anymore to receive any relief goods from the LGUs during the whole period of the community quarantine.

Meanwhile, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio tried to argue with Diokno, citing that the government has the right to control the movement of the people during extraordinary times.

Pssst, Chel…. pic.twitter.com/jIfU9sf4DB

— YesYesYo! (@YesYesYo13) March 22, 2020

Topacio cited section 6 of the Bill of Rights, saying that movements of people should not be stopped “except in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health, as may be provided by law”.

On March 14, Diokno also reminded the public that the police and soldiers had no right to put community quarantine violators under their custody.

“Pwede ka nilang harangin at wag papasukin, na tama lang naman kung kailangan, pero hindi ka nila pwedeng arestuhin at ikulong dahil hindi naman krimen ang subukang pumasok sa Metro Manila,” Diokno said.

A businessman posted a live video, urging the netizens to remind the politicians who gave many promises last election to help their constituents affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a Facebook video, Franciso Leo Marcos, chairman of Marcos Group of Companies and Volunteer against Poverty foundation showed how he bought sacks of rice to feed 4,000 people despite being not obliged to do it.

“Biruin niyo po, marami po tayong politiko doon matataas na posisyon… Senador at Congressman, sandamakmak na pangako noong hindi natin kailangan, mayroon naman po na panay ang pa-picture doon, pa-picture dito, maya’t maya ay gumagawa ng mabuti at kalusugan ang kanilang inuuna,” Marcos said.

“Pero ngayon na nasa gitna na tinatawag na pandemic, bakit wala akong makita ni isa man lang sa kanila,” he added.

He said that his previous video called “Mayaman challenge” which showing him giving food and other necessities to the COVID-19 frontliners became successful and other people tried to do the same.

Because of the success of his previous challenge, he decided to do another challenge called “Politikong Maraming Pangako challenge” to knock the hearts of the politicians to help their constituents.

“Ngayon po ang china-challenge ko dito ay yung mga politikong sandamakmak ang pangako para sa ating kababayan,” he said.

“Ngayon po kayo lumabas meron po tayong epidemya,” he added.

He revealed that he’s planning to spent 300,000 pesos to buy goods to help the people affected by COVID-19.

“Baka sakali dito sa aking ginagawa ay yung mga politikong sandamakmak ang pangako ay matauhan at please lang po pag namigay kayo wala na pong picture taking na babangitin pa ang pangalan niyo,” he said.

The video already reached 3.3-M views as of writing.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto rejected the idea of distributing quarantine passes to his constituents as it will only defeat the purpose of the enhanced community quarantine being implemented by the national government.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Sotto said that he already asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) for clarification and he found that securing quarantine passes doesn’t include the rules of the enhanced community quarantine.

Sotto explained that the said policy could only lead the additional waiting time and person-to-person contact as barangay officials and authorities needed to ensure that every people going outside of their homes have quarantine passes.

“We do NOT need Quarantine Passes WITHIN Pasig jurisdiction. Malinaw naman ang exemptions sa strict home quarantine. Wag na natin dagdagan ng requirements. Magiging karagdagang person-to-person contact at waiting time lang ito (imbis na makapunta ka ng mabilis sa tindahan, bumili ng pagkain, at umuwi na rin kaagad.)” Sotto said.

He also called the 1 per household quarantine pass as ‘useless’ and wanted the system in Pasig City to become as simple as possible.

“Isa pa, useless ang 1 per household quarantine pass na valid para sa buong quarantine period, dahil tatanungin pa rin naman ng pulis o brgy kung ano ang purpose nila sa paglabas ng bahay. Basta’t gawin na lang natin SIMPLE… kung hindi para sa trabaho, medikal, o para bumili ng pagkain/supplies… STAY HOME,” he added.

Sotto also posted the current condition in Barangay Rosario, Pasig City and guarded it to prevent the people from flocking the streets again.

On March 21, the said barangay in Pasig City became infamous after newspaper company Philippine Star posted photos of residents of Rosario neglecting the social distancing measures.

Quarantine passes became controversial after DILG received several reports that some Barangay officials are selling it to their constituents for 30 pesos each.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that they’re not going to allow President Rodrigo Duterte to control privately-owned utility companies amid the rumors that the chief executive is asking emergency powers to Congress to address the COVID-19 outbreak.

Sotto, in a statement, denied that the President is asking emergency powers, but confirmed that there’s a provision that giving Duterte powers to control the privately-owned businesses like utility companies and hotels.

“Not true. Read the title. Nothing there says emergency powers,” Sotto said

“Perhaps one controversial provision in the bill [is] about the takeover of businesses but that won’t fly in the Senate. The main proposal of the bill is to distribute cash to the 16.5 million families badly needing help,” he added.

He also revealed that their meeting on Saturday already decided that they’re not going to pass any measure giving the President emergency powers.

“That was precisely my point in the meeting yesterday that this is not an emergency powers bill. We agreed that it is not,” he said.

According to the still-unnumbered Senate bill which President Duterte certified as urgent, the President is granted authority to “exercise powers necessary and proper” to implement a unified national policy to combat COVID-19 “for a limited period and subject to restrictions.”

It includes the temporary control of the President to some privately-owned companies.

The President could also order speedy procurement of goods, medicines, medical supplies, and establishments that could be used as temporary medical facilities.

House Committee on Ways and Means chair Joey Salceda said that they’re going to support granting the President emergency powers because it’s “necessary”.

“It’s absolutely necessary at this point. That’s why I asked Congressional leaders to call for a virtual session of Congress last week. The country needs it,” Salceda said.

“I will especially support provisions to exempt the purchase of necessary medical supplies and other essential goods from the procurement law, as well as support for our frontliners. Subsistence allowances will also be given to poor families affected by the enhanced quarantine through these powers. I already proposed that a few days ago, so I am thankful that the government is adopting the approach,” he added.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that the Congress is set to debate today about the proposal.

Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla asked the national government and private sectors to help her city as they’re already expecting a shortage of budget to feed their constituents amid the enhanced community quarantine being implemented in Luzon.

While their current supply of relief goods was sufficient, Mercado-Revilla admitted that their calamity fund was not enough to feed 100,000 families living in Bacoor City during the whole period of the calamity.

“Six months ang state of calamity, sa totoo lang we have, sa huli naming community-based monitoring system 100,000 households sa buong Bacoor, imaginin niyo po kung ‘yan po ng relief sa loob ng isang buwan, kulang na ang amin pong disaster funds,” Mercado-Revilla said.

“Sa tulong national government, sa tulong po ng private sector hinihingi rin po namin ang tulong nila dahil limitado po talaga ang ating calamity funds,” she added.

Bacoor is currently under city-wide lockdown due to the reported cases of COVID-19 in the city.

Aside from Revilla, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte also asked the national government for additional budget to feed 400,000 families in her territory.

“Sa ika-apat na linggo, medyo magkukulang na po ang pondo ng lungsod, sapagkat ang quick response fund po natin ay mauubos na, at ang halaga nito ay P400-M lang ata, and we have other things to take care of katulad hospital equipment,” Belmonte said.

“We are now appealing to the DSWD, national government na sana tulungan naman nila kami sa lungsod ng Quezon,” she added.

However, a Senator suggested that the national government should prioritize the poorer places in the Philippines instead of giving additional budget to cities.

Kabataan party-list expressed their opposition over the ‘enhanced community quarantine’ being implemented by the Duterte administration.

On a Facebook post, Kabataan said that the national government should stop the implementation of the community quarantine because it only made the Filipino suffer because of being forced to stay at their homes.

The party suggested that the government should start doing mass testing and distribute financial aid, free medicines and food to the people.

“Itigil ang pangmalawakang lockdown! Sa halip, magsagawa ng mass testing at mamahagi ng financial aid, ng libreng gamot, at ng libreng pagkain!” Kabataan stated.

“Ibigay ang lahat ng pangangailang medikal tulad ng face masks, gwantes, alkohol, at iba pang personal protective equipment ng mga health workers!” they added.

They also launched an online petition titled ‘7-point public health demands: COVID-19 action steps’.

According to their online petition, they’re pushing for:

1. Deployment of health workers to the community instead of sending soldiers and police to the streets. Free sanitary items, food, testing kits and clean water to the people.
   They also argued that lockdown doesn’t work to prevent COVID-19 from spreading.
2. More government support to the local scientist, health workers, and other medical professionals.
3. Ensure the safety and job security of Filipino workers.
   Companies should give the wage of their workers who were affected by the community quarantine and the government should help the people who lost their job by giving them cash transfers.
4. Transfering the P4.5-B budget from the Office of the President, P36-4-B from the National Task Force, and P546 from the Oplan Tokhang to fund the health sector.
5. Declaration of price freeze to all basic needs.
6. Ensure that there’s enough food and medicine supply in the country.
7. Prevent utility companies to increase their charges to its consumers.

As of writing, the petition already reached 13,300 signs.

Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago also said that the government should stop any attempts from schools to increase their tuition fees and other charges.

“There must also be a guarantee that no tuition, other fees will increase after the disruption of classes. Moreover, Kabataan Partylist urges the Duterte administration to explore options to likewise cushion the impact of the month-long suspension on private schools,” Elago said.

The administration must undertake ways to still pay the salaries of affected teaching and non-teaching personnel. Adjustments to dates for professional licensure exams must also be made to lessen the pressure to graduate based on the current acad calendar. #SuspendOnlineClasses

— Sarah Elago (@sarahelago) March 18, 2020

Meanwhile, netizens gave their comments on the social media post of Kabataan, telling them that they’re only good at complaining.

“Magaling lang kayong bumatikos, pero pagdating sa pagtulong sa mga Kababayan natin, tulad ng ganitong krisis, nganga kayo!” netizen Garry Inofre said.

“Pahirap kayo sa policy ng bansa,,, naiisip niyo yan. Bakit d kayo manguna magbigay ng mga yan.. Kabataan din ako, pero salamat sa Panginoon kasi d ako kagaya niyo.. May goodness,” netizen Rolyline Mina commented.

“Diba may budget kayo as congressman..bakit hindi niyo gamitin para sa maralita..diba sila ang ipinaglalaban niyo..patunayan niyo ngayon kung talagang makamasa kayo!” Flora Anona remarked.

Journalist Karen Davila slammed the politicians who were asking members of the Department of Health (DOH) surveillance team to be tested for COVID-19 at the comfort of their homes.

On her tweet, Davila shared a testimony from a doctor who expressed frustration over the politicians who wanted to be prioritized for COVID-19 testing despite not showing any symptoms.

“This is bogging down the COVID-19 testing. Politicians and their staff are now asking to be serviced in their homes by the DOH surveillance team. We have so many PUIs awaiting their results, and we can’t send (home) the PUMs who have been admitted the week before because we don’t have results yet. Perhaps, if the media can investigate this ‘palakasan’ system, we might be able to alleviate the overburdened emergency rooms. As of yesterday, ER is already full,” the statement reads.

After reading the statement from the doctor, Davila said that “politicians should stop feeling entitled”

“Ibang klase. “Politicians and their staff now asking to be serviced in their homes by DOH surveillance team” THIS. MUST. STOP,” Davila said.

Ibang klase. “Politicians and their staff now askkng to be serviced in their homes by DOH surveillance team” THIS. MUST. STOP. Politicians should stop feeling entitled. (Post from @chiarazambrano) pic.twitter.com/1ZJMF5FTkJ

— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) March 21, 2020

“Nakakagalit. Tumigil na kayong mga pulitiko at staff ninyo na nagpapa-test pa sa bahay pa sa ating DOH surveillance team. Dapat lahat ng pangalan nyo mabunyag sa totoo lang,” she added.

Nakakagalit. Tumigil na kayong mga pulitiko at staff ninyo na nagpapa-test pa sa bahay pa sa ating DOH surveillance team. Dapat lahat ng pangalan nyo mabunyag sa totoo lang.

— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) March 21, 2020

Several followers of Davila then criticized President Rodrigo Duterte and his family for being prioritized to be tested first for COVID-19.

“All of the Duterte family got tested despite not showing any symptoms,” netizen @markyful said.

Why dont we start a thread of all those politicians and their relatives? pic.twitter.com/MTI5dCQj6Z

— Marky (@MarkyFul) March 21, 2020

“Ito…Galing sa news items: Bong Go, head ng PSG, Honeylet, Kitty, Paolo and Baste Duterte, Medialdea, Mark Villar Tugade, Domingues, Sherwin Gatchalian, Nancy Binay, Zubiri and wife, Jonvic and staff nya (nag sorry), Sotto, Pia Cayetano, Grace Poe, Lacson, Tolentino, Marcos,” netizen @daphine commented.

Ito…Galing sa news items:Bong Go, head ng PSG, Honeylet, Kitty, Paolo and Baste Duterte , Medialdea, Mark Villar Tugade, Domingues, Sherwin Gatchalian, Nancy Binay, Zubiri and wife, Jonvic and staff nya (nsgsorry), Sotto, Pia Cayetano, Grace Poe, Lacson, Tolentino, Marcos.

— daphine3 (@daphine36) March 21, 2020

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III defended the first family for getting tested immediately despite not showing any symptoms of COVID-19.

According to Duque, the first family was exposed to a known case.

DOH reported that more than 125,000 test kits from China, South Korea arrived in the country.