The House of Representatives approved Wednesday night the proposed Bayanihan to Recover As One Act or Bayanihan Act 2, which would continue the COVID-19 response of the government.
The House plenary passed House Bill 6953 on the second reading. The bill would provide P162 billion in funding for the country’s fight against COVID-19, including the extension of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
The Bayanihan 2 seeks to extend Republic Act 11469, the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, until September 30 after it expired last month.
Deputy Speaker LRay Villafuerte said there is a need to “give continued special powers to the President to beat the pandemic, which, according to the WHO (World Health Organization), has reached a ‘dangerous’ stage of accelerated spread as governments across the world start relaxing mobility restrictions and reopening their economies.”
The lawmaker said the Department of Health (DOH) would be given the bulk of the funds to better address the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since billions of funds are funneled through the DOH, they should partner with (local government units), fully utilize them in terms of testing, treating and isolation,” the Camarines Sur representative stressed in his sponsorship speech. “Since the technical know-how is with the DOH, the funds will be given to them and they should partner with LGUs in implementation of program.”
The House Committee on the Whole passed the measure on June 3 before Congress adjourned sine die.
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The Bayanihan 2 would provide the following:
- grant of P5,000 to P8,000 subsidy for low-income families, households with recently returned overseas workers, and no-work-no-pay individuals
- one-month emergency subsidy to low-income households that were included in the first and second tranche of SAP
- P20 billion will be allotted for the implementation of cash-for-work programs and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD)
- P5 billion for the implementation of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
- P21 billion for unemployment or involuntary separation assistance to the displaced workers in health, education, tourism, culture and arts, creative industry, transportation and other sectors affected by the pandemic.
- P51 billion for infusion of capital into government financial institutions
- P20 billion support to the agriculture sector
- P21 billion assistance to the critically impacted businesses in the transportation industry and for the development of accessible sidewalks and protected bicycle lanes
- P10 billion for programs for the transport sector
- P10 billion to assist impacted businesses in the tourism industry.
- P10 billion for the procurement of swab polymerase chain reaction testing and extraction kits, supplies and materials for COVID-19 testing and for the enhancement of DOH capacity to provide healthcare services.