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Certifying Bayanihan Law 2 as urgent moot, says Sotto


Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Thursday said Malacañang's assurance that the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 would be certified as urgent is already moot.

In a Palace briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said such certification can be expected.

"Naririyan din po ang Bayanihan 2 na sigurado ako na ise-certify as urgent. At 'yung Bayanihan 2 naman po ay isa po 'yan sa napakalakas na sandata na gagamitin natin para tayo ay makabangon dito sa aberya ng COVID," Roque said.

However, Sotto said this certification will not have much effect now because such was just needed last month when Congress was trying to by-pass the three-day rule between the second and third reading to approve the bill ahead of the sine die adjournment.

"It does not matter anymore, we are over the three-day rule already," Sotto said in a message.

The second regular session is set to start next week.

Senate committee on finance chair Sonny Angara, who principally authored the bill, said the upper chamber would approve it on third and final reading a day after the 5th State of the Nation Address.

"The Senate as mentioned by SP Sotto will approve it on third reading probably on Tuesday at the latest. We approved it on second reading before Congress went on recess in June," Angara said.

He, nonetheless, acknowledged that the certification would still fast-track the process of the approval of the counterpart bill in the House of Representatives.

"It will speed up approval of the measure as the House can approve it on second and third reading on the same day if they wish to," Angara said.

The proposed measure in the Senate outlines a P140-billion stimulus program to revive the Philippine economy amid the pandemic.

The House Committee of the Whole approved its version of the Bayanihan to Recover as One on first reading last June 4. — RSJ, GMA News