The Philippine Congress has granted President Rodrigo Duterte special temporary powers to manage the COVID-19 crisis. Some fear the new powers will make it dangerous for local governments to express dissent over how best to combat the disease.
A huge video screen shows members of the Philippine Congress participating in a special session via video conference in Manila on Monday to discuss a proposed emergency power to be given to President Rodrigo Duterte to tackle the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.
However, Duterte failed to win approval to take over private companies and utilities, authority he had sought. The president has been locked in battle with private concessionaires who supply water to Metro Manila, accusing them of over-charging and under-performing, and repeatedlyDuterte's new powers extend to the narrower sectors of hospitals and public transportation. He can direct private hospitals and medical facilities to house health care workers and serve as quarantine centers, and take over public transport operations to ferry front-line workers."No to emergency powers.
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