MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte's address to the nation set on Monday was supposedly timed as the main island of Luzon including the economic and political capital region of Metro Manila was entering its third week in quarantine.
Malacañang earlier today announced that Duterte was set to speak with 4 p.m. as a tentative schedule.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said a few minutes past 4:30 p.m. that Duterte was still at a meeting with officials on the executive branch's response to the worsening novel coronavirus outbreak.
"We shall make the proper announcement after the said meeting is concluded and when the president is set to deliver his message to the people, as earlier announced," Panelo said.
More than six hours passed after 4 p.m., and minutes before midnight of Tuesday and the president was yet to deliver the address almost a week after he was granted provisional authority under Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act. Filipinos on social media who have been waiting for the live address expressed disappointment over the delay.
"Nakatulog na ako't lahat wala pa rin," a Twitter user said.
Duterte's emergency powers include control over a special purpose fund and unutilized subsidies of government-owned and controlled corporations, or GOCCs, to finance efforts over the COVID-19 epidemic.
The law also grants subsidies to 18 million families in need whose livelihood is affected by the near-lockdown imposed on large swathes of the population, thereby shutting down industries, schools and commercial centers except businesses delivering essential services during the crisis.
Sec. 5 of RA 111469 requires the president to submit a report to Congress every Monday of the week "of all acts performed... during the preceding week."
"The report shall likewise include the amount and corresponding utilization of the funds used, augmented, reprogrammed, reallocated and realigned pursuant to this Act," the law states.
There are no reports yet on whether Duterte has submitted a verbal or written report to Congress as of press time Monday to comply with the law.