Business groups express support for law vs. COVID-19

At least 22 Philippine business groups on Monday called for the passage of a law that would provide guidelines to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but noted that reallocation of funds should be within constitutional guidelines.

In a statement, business groups expressed support for the immediate passage of the proposed "Bayanihan Act of 2020" and its counterpart bill in the Senate known as "We Heal as One Act."

"We commit ourselves to continue working with the government to fight COVID-19 with the assets and facilities at our disposal and, with proper consideration for their safety, with our manpower, starting from our managers," the statement read.

"We commit to continue to support the health workers and medical establishments at the frontline of the war," it elaborated.

The House Committee of the Whole earlier on Monday approved the measure granting President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers to address the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines.

"We recommend that any law that is passed by Congress should be consistent with our constitutional and legal principles, and not be overly broad and over-reaching—in particular with realignment and reallocation of government and GOCC funds that should consider the constitutional guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court, and take-over of private enterprises—in order to avoid constitutional challenges that would delay implementation thereof," the statement read.

In the statement, business groups also made the following recommendations:

• Limit the duration of the law to two months; any extension should be an act of Congress.
• Authorize the President or his designees to grant special permits and exemptions from bureaucratic requirements under existing laws and regulations as may be reasonably necessary to avoid delay in the deployment or utilization of the funds and procurement of needed requirements.
• Authorize the President to adopt measures as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate and/or minimize disruption to the supply chain, especially for basic commodities and services to the maximum extent possible.
• Provide rehabilitation, special financing programs and/or stimulus package to help business, especially MSMEs, adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Support any fundraising or other forms of assistance that the President may seek to get from foreign countries, multilateral organizations and other capital markets.

"In order to minimize the damage of COVID-19 to the people and the economy, we urge Congress to pass quickly the special law at the earlier possible time," the statement read.

The statement was signed by business groups such as the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AMCHAM), the Anvil Business Club, Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Philippines (ANZCHAM), Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (CANCHAM), European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), and the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FFCCCII).

It was also signed by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (Phil) Inc. (FICCI), Investment House Association of the Philippines (IHAP), Judicial Reform Initiative (JRI), Makati Business Club (MBC), Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), and the Microfinance Council of the Philippines.

Also signatories were the Organization of Socialized Housing Developers of the Philippines (OSHDP), People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), Philippine Association of Securities Brokers and Dealers Inc. (PASBDI), and Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (Go Negosyo).

Completing the list are the Philippine Hotel Owners Association Inc., the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc., Shareholders' Association of the Philippines (SHAREPHIL), Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA), and the Women's Business Council Philippines (WBCP). — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News