Bayanihan 2 ratification likely moved to Monday —Drilon

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday said the ratification of the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 would be moved next week as the bicam is still unfinished.

"Mamayang alas-10 po mayroon na naman kaming pagpupulong at sisikapin naming matapos hanggang mamayang gabi at mara-ratify ito sa Lunes," Drilon, a member of the bicam committee, said in a radio interview.

He stressed that one of the bottlenecks is the disagreeing provision on assistance to the tourism sector.

"Hay naku! Isa po 'yan sa mga natitirang tatlo o apat na isyu. Isa doon 'yung masalimuot na P10 bilyon para sa tourism sector," Drilon said.

"Ang version ng Senado, P10 bilyon para sa mga nahirapang kumpanya, doon sa mga tourism enterprises... Ang inisyal position ng House ay 'yung P10 bilyon at gagawing kalsada," he added.

On Wednesday, Senate President Vicente Sotto III reminded Senate Committee on Finance chairperson Sonny Angara to keep the upper chamber's version intact.

The possible compromise was to allocate P1 billion for tourism infrastructure, P3 billion for assistance to displaced tourism workers, and P6 billion for loans, according to Drilon.

However, the congressmen did not relent on their position during the bicam meeting on Wednesday night.

"Ayaw talaga ng House of Representatives. 'Yan talaga ang isang masalimuot na debate," Drilon said.

Despite Drilon's remark, Sotto said a ratification is still possible within the day.

"Tuloy 'yun. Already mandated by my pronouncement... [We] will wait for the bicam report if necessary," Sotto said in a message.

The senators agreed on Wednesday that they will resume session Thursday afternoon for the ratification of Bayanihan 2.

Meanwhile, House Deputy Speaker LRay Villafuerte also informed reporters that the reconciled version of the bill is yet to come out and the ratification will "possibly" happen on Monday.

The Bayanihan 2 bill comes with a P162 billion budget—P22 billion of which is "standby authority" which can be implemented once new sources of revenue become available. —KBK, GMA News