Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Duterte should be given until September to use emergency powers to address the pandemic, especially since a vaccine has yet to be discovered. We’ll see from there if at the end of 90 days, there’s a need for emergency powers still, then it can be extended until December,” Roque said in a television interview. Republic Act (RA) 11469, or the “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act,” allows Duterte to wield emergency powers to address the health crisis. The National Economic and Development Authority said extending the emergency powers until the end of the year would help the economy recover. “The first thing that we will do is extend [the] Bayanihan [law].

Source: Manila Times May 27, 2020 16:26 UTC