Philippine Congress approves national emergency declaration
Temperatures are checked before people enter a local city hall during a community quarantine aimed to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Manila, Philippines, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. For most people the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A man is disinfected inside a cubicle before entering local the city hall to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. For most people the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A man wearing a protective mask walks past an area cordoned off for an enhanced community quarantine aimed to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Manila, Philippines, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. For most people the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Volunteers and government workers unload boxes of canned food to be distributed to families following the enhanced community quarantine aimed to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. For most people the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Volunteers and government workers prepare food to be distributed to families following the enhanced community quarantine aimed to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Manila, Philippines, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. For most people the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A security guard wearing a protective mask walks beside isolation tents that will serve as a quarantine facility for people showing symptoms of the COVID-19 following the enhanced community quarantine to prevent the spread of the virus in Manila, Philippines, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. For most people the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A worker from the city emergency response team checks isolation tents at a basketball court inside the Quezon Memorial Circle that will serve as a quarantine facility for people showing symptoms of COVID-19 following the enhanced community quarantine in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. For most people the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A man rides his bicycle at the popular Quezon Memorial Circle park that is now empty following the enhanced community quarantine enforced by the government to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in suburban Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. For most people the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine Congress on Tuesday approved a bill declaring a national emergency and authorizing the president to launch a massive aid program for 18 million families and tap private hospitals and ships in fighting the coronavirus outbreak.
President Rodrigo Duterte can reapportion the executive department's budget under the legislation, which will also punish people disobeying quarantine orders and spreading “false information” about the outbreak, legislators said. The state of national emergency will last for three months but can be extended by Congress.
The Senate and the House of Representatives, which are dominated by Duterte’s allies, both held emergency sessions Monday and worked beyond midnight to deliberate the bill, with most lawmakers participating online as a health precaution. Duterte is expected to sign the bill into law soon.
Duterte has already locked down the main northern island of Luzon, home to more than 50 million people, by restricting travel to and from the region, which includes Manila, the capital. Most residents have been ordered to stay home and work and classes have been suspended under the monthlong containment.
Opposition groups say they fear Duterte’s extra powers could lead to abuses. They urged the government to provide more protective suits for health workers, a better “safety net” for the poor and many more tests for the virus.
Philippine officials reported Tuesday a total of 552 cases of the virus in the country, with 35 deaths. Twenty patients have recovered.