SPEAKER Lord Allan Velasco announced on Friday that the House of Representatives will remain under lockdown next week due to the continued increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) and surrounding provinces.

According to Velasco, 'We have decided to extend the lockdown by another week from January 10 to 16 as a precautionary measure to protect the health and safety of House members and employees in view of an alarming rise in Covid-19 cases in the NCR and adjacent provinces.'