Due to a water leak in the session hall ceiling, the December 1 budget discussions were postponed. Manila: Due to water leakage from the session hall roof caused by a fire in the building on Sunday, November 30, the day that large-scale anti-corruption protests broke out here, the Philippine Senate postponed its December 1, 2025, session until Tuesday. A floor below the Legislative Technical Affairs Bureau, the session hall roof was dripping water from firefighters’ hoses. The fire began at around 7 a.m. and reached second alarm status before being contained by 8:30 a.m.; no casualties were recorded.
According to the Philippine News Agency, the event interfered with ongoing discussions over proposed budgets for government departments and agencies. The Authorities were looking into the cause of the fire and evaluating the damage, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said via text message on Sunday. “The affected floor caused water used in the suppression efforts to leak into the session hall,” he stated. He informed local media that “all relevant Senate documents, including those of the Blue Ribbon Committee, remain intact, safe, and completely unaffected by the fire.” The
“Not obligated to work on December 1” Sotto added that “all other Secretariat and proper employees are not required to work on Dec. 1 unless directed by their respective heads of offices,” with the exception of employees of the Maintenance and General Services Bureau and the Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office. The third-floor fire started between 6:30 and 6:50 am, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection, and was completely put out by 8:20 am. Investigations are still ongoing.
