Proposal to pass Bayanihan 3 premature –Palace

Malacañang said Tuesday that it was too early to push for another emergency legislation to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at a news conference in Cagayan, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque also said that the proposed Bayanihan 3 would not be necessary if the additional interventions were included in the final version of the proposed 2021 national budget that was pending in Congress.

“Kagaya ng sinabi ni [Finance] Secretary [Carlos] Dominguez, kung ano ang lalabas dito sa budget na binubuo ngayon sa Kongreso at kung mayroon pong kakulangan, eh pupuwede naman pong magpapasa muli ng Bayanihan 3,” Roque said.

“Pero sa ngayon po, parang premature pa iyan dahil hindi pa natin nakikita kung ano ang magiging anyo at ano ang mangyayari doon sa proposed budget for 2021.”

Bayanihan 1 and 2 were passed by Congress in March and September, respectively. Set to expire in December, Bayanihan 2 provides a P165.5-billion relief package to finance efforts against COVID-19.

Senator Ralph Recto and Marikina City Representative Stella Quimbo have pushed for a third Bayanihan law, with Recto calling for aid for victims of the series of typhoons that battered the country.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, however, pointed out that recalibrating the proposed P4.506-trillion national budget for 2021 would be better than passing another coronavirus stimulus package

Drilon said the national budget could be realigned to ensure more funds for COVID-19 vaccines, calamity response, the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and other social services. — DVM, GMA News