Senator Risa Hontiveros is the only senator who voted no during the third and final reading of Senate Bill (SB) 1418 which gives President Rodrigo Duterte special powers to deal with coronavirus pandemic in the country.
In an official statement, she said that the bill grants the President ‘unchecked powers that are open to abuse and corruption.” Furthermore, she said that “It also gives the President a virtual blank check with no clear plan nor strategy to defeat COVID-19."
Also, Hontiveros expressed grave concern for the uncertainty of the budget allocation saying that people are not guaranteed by the bill that the budget would not be corrupted plus there is no effective monitoring for such budget expenditures.
Hontiveros also made clear that the President has “near-absolute control over public funds in national government agencies” and “government-owned and controlled corporations"; thus, dismantling the need for emergency powers.
According to Hontiveros, the new powers given to the President will allow him to stop essential projects and divert funding with “little check and balances in place.”
“We cannot and should not blindly trust the use of these important funds to a government which, during the health crisis, has chosen to spend P14 billion on tourism projects, but has been unable to deliver PPEs to our doctors…and other front-liners,” she added.
Moreover, existing laws which do not require emergency powers such as Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184), Price Act (RA 7582), and the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act (RA11332) were cited by Sen. Hontiveros as “readily-available laws and policies” which have not fully been utilized by the government yet to fight COVID pandemic.
“These laws, if partnered with a supplemental budget, already authorize the government to purchase ample personal protective equipment (PPEs), medical supplies, relief packages, and other needed items,” Hontiveros stated.
She went on further, adding, “Hindi special powers ang sagot sa pandemic na ito, kundi political will para isulong ang mass-testing, ibigay ang PPEs at hazard pay at ihatid ang cash assistance para sa mga pamilyang nawalan ng kita.”
The said bill was approved on March 24 where a total of 20 senators casted their vote during the senate conference; 12 were present at the plenary, while 8 voted via phone call which include Senator Hontiveros who is the only one who casted a dissenting vote.
Senator Hontiveros was the first senator to urge the national government for a nationwide travel ban to China before the height of the pandemic and also campaigned for hazard pay for front-liners and cash assistance to families affected by home quarantine.
Hontiveros still maintains her call to the national government to conduct mass testing for the coronavirus to curb the outbreak and better monitor its cases.
Meanwhile, the bill granting emergency powers to President Duterte will immediately take effect after its majority approbation in the senate.
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