Recto wants Bayanihan 3 for typhoon relief projects

On Monday, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto suggested passing another Bayanihan law for 2020 to immediately help the victims of the series of typhoons that hit the country in the past weeks.

“If we were quick to act for a Bayanihan 1 and 2 for the pandemic, why not have a Bayanihan 3 for this typhoon?” Recto asked during the budget debates in the Senate.

ADVERTISEMENT

Senate Finance Committee chairperson Sonny Angara said he is not rejecting the proposal. However, his concern was if they have enough time to pass the Bayanihan 3, given that the Senate is still deliberating the proposed P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget.

“If, for instance, a special session is called if needed, then that would be a possibility,” Angara said.

Recto was hopeful that the senators could discuss a Bayanihan 3 as he estimated that the 2021 national budget bill may be approved on second and third readings “within the week.”

ADVERTISEMENT

“I am one with the chairman to pass this budget by Friday, second and third reading, so there should be enough time to pass a supplemental budget if necessary or Bayanihan 3 not only for the pandemic but for those affected by the most recent typhoons,” he said.

Recto wants Bayanihan 3 for typhoon relief projects

In the previous weeks, three strong storms battered Luzon, killing dozens of individuals and destroying thousands of homes.

Typhoon Quinta arrived in the last week of October and left three people dead in Negros Oriental and Marinduque.

ADVERTISEMENT

Super typhoon Rolly, the world’s strongest typhoon for 2020, hit the Bicol region and left Catanduanes isolated. It also affected over two over two million people from Regions I, II, III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, Cordillera Administrative Region, and the National Capital Region. Rolly left 25 people dead and injured 300 others.

The latest powerful typhoon, , claimed the lives of 67 as of Monday morning, while wounded victims are 21. The NDRRMC said 13 people are still missing.

Ulysses also triggered the “worst” flooding in Cagayan in 40 years.

During the same plenary debates, Angara said that around P8.6 billion is left of the government’s calamity funds for 2020. He said the Finance Committee has agreed to increase the Calamity Fund and Quick Response Funds to at least P26 billion in 2021.