Funding source still to be identified
BY WENDELL VIGILIA and RAYMOND AFRICA
LAWMAKERS will work double time during the next three weeks to hasten the approval of the proposed Bayanihan to Arise as One Act, or the Bayanihan 3 bill, that seeks to provide P405.6 billion in government assistance to low-income families and small business affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Majority leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said the Bayanihan 3 bill is among the priority measures that the House of Representatives intends to pass before Congress adjourns sine die on June 4.
The House committees on social services, economic affairs, and ways and means have already approved the measure, but it still has to go through the committee on appropriations.
“We only have three weeks to pass this vital measure that will help our fellow Filipinos who are all affected by the pandemic, and we are confident that before we adjourn, we will be able to pass the measure,” said Romualdez.
The proposed 405.6 billion fund under Bayanihan 3 includes two rounds of cash assistance worth P1,000 for all Filipinos, or a total of 108 billion Filipinos, regardless of their economic status.
The bill also provides livelihood assistance through an additional P12 Billion for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, P8 billion in wage subsidies under the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) program of the Department of Finance (DOF), P10 Billion in assistance for displaced workers through the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
It likewise suspends the collection of amortization payments for those living in government housing programs, and imposes a “no eviction or demolition policy” until the State of Public Health Emergency declared by the national government due to the COVID-19 pandemic is lifted.
The bill also offers an array of assistance to ensure food security and provide for the health needs of citizens, including the allocation of P3 billion for the Medical Assistance for Indigents Program (MAIP) of the Department of Health (DOH), free swab tests for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and allowing the use of private sector facilities for public health needs during the pandemic.
A P54.6-billion fund is also proposed for the Pension and Gratuity Fund of Military Uniformed Personnel, and P5.6 billion for the information technology needs of the Department of Education (DepEd).
At the Senate, majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said funding sources for the proposed third round of assistance for low-income families remains unclear, a major concern among senators.
“The problem is the availability of funds. Can the government certify that it has funds for the proposed measure? We will tackle this during the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council on Wednesday, the senators will ask government officials and the National Treasury if we have funds for the proposed Bayanihan 3. If they say ‘go, okay we have funds for that,’ then the Senate will act immediately to pass the measure,” Zubiri said in an interview with radio dzBB.
Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon earlier said there are about P500 billion under the 2021 national budget that can be tapped to fund Bayanihan 3, including the P19-billion budget for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, and other government projects which can be deferred until next year.
Zubiri said the Senate will pass on third reading at least 10 priority measures when Congress resumes sessions today. “After we have passed approved these measures, then we will tackle next the priority measures asked by the President, most of which are economic measures,” he said.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III has said among the priority economic measures the Senate will tackle are the proposed amendments to the Public Service Act, Retail Trade Liberalization Act, Foreign Investment Acts, Property Evaluation Reform Bill, Passive Income Tax and Financial Intermediary, Rural Agricultural and Fisheries Development Financing Systems Act, extension of the Estate Tax Amnesty, the E-Governance Act, and the measure proposing the imposition of amusement taxes on digital platforms and offshore betting stations.
Non-economic measures to be passed during the three-week session include the creation of the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers, Expanded Solo Parent’s Act, Hybrid Elections Act, National Land Use Act, re-imposition of the death penalty, Boracay Island Development Authority, postponement of the BARMM elections, Magna carte for Barangay Health Workers, and increasing the Age of Statutory rape.
Sotto said the Senate will formalize today his proposal for senators to have sessions even on Thursdays so they can pass the important measures.
He said the creation of the Department of OFWs, Public Service Act, and Trade Liberation law have been certified as urgent by President Duterte.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan said he is eyeing the extension of the validity of Bayanihan 2 from June 2021 to December 31, 2021 following reports of low utilization of funds appropriated to assist transport sector workers displaced by the pandemic.
Pangilinan cited a report from the Department of Transportation which showed that only P40 million of the P5.58 billion, which is equivalent to only one percent of the total budget, have been utilized to provide livelihood programs to public utility vehicle drivers who lost their jobs amid the lockdowns.
Bayanihan 2 was signed into law by President Duterte on September last year and was expected to last only until March this year. Its validity was extended until June to give government ample time to disburse the funds under the measure.
Pangilinan said extending the validity of Bayanihan 2 until December 31 will give the DOTr and the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board enough time to systematize and speed up the roll out of livelihood programs for displaced PUV drivers.
Romualdez said that the House will also continue deliberating on Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) Number 2 to amend the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution or economic Charter change.
Romualdez likewise said the impeachment complaint filed by Edwin Cordevilla against Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario Victor Leonen will be included in the order of business within three session days to allow the plenary to refer it to the justice committee.
