The Senate is set to return to full face-to-face sessions and hearings next week, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri announced Wednesday.
Before adjourning the session, Zubiri reminded his colleagues about the removal of hybrid sessions and hearings which will be implemented on Monday, 7 August.
“In view of the presidential Proclamation 297 which lifts the state of public health emergency throughout the Philippines due to Covid-19 and considering that almost all activities have returned to pre-pandemic levels, the Senate will no longer conduct hybrid hearings and meetings beginning Monday, 7 August 2023 and shall revert back to our pre-pandemic practice of conducting hearings and meetings physically,” he said.
Marcos lifted the state of public health emergency on 22 July.
The move of the upper chamber of Congress came after the House of Representatives began conducting full face-to-face sessions on Tuesday.
“This is in line also with the House of Representatives because the House of Representatives although they did hybrid sessions they are now canceled all the hybrid sessions and hybrid hearings,” Zubiri said.
“We had face-to-face sessions, but we allowed hybrid. So, in line of that, we will also continue that practice, and we will now go face-to-face for our conduct of public hearings,” he added.
The Senate chief said hybrid sessions and hearings would still be permitted but only in case of force majeure or an occurrence of an emergency.
Due to the emergence of Covid-19 in 2020, the Senate adopted Senate Resolution No. 372 allowing plenary sessions and committee hearings through teleconferencing while the enhanced community quarantine was still in place in the country.
Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa previously made a comment about a then-newly implemented rule, saying: “Sarap ng buhay! Sarap ng buhay! Ganito na lang tayo palagi ah!”
The remark, which was interpreted as insensitive, earned the ire of many people including his fellow government officials in the senate.