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House OKs P401-B Bayanihan 3 bill on second reading


The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on second reading the Bayanihan to Arise As One bill or Bayanihan 3 stimulus package, which seeks to provide P401-billion worth of interventions to help Filipinos amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

The substitute bill is around P4 billion lower than the P405.6 billion set in the original version of the measure.

Under the bill, financial aid worth P2,000 will be provided to all Filipinos, regardless of their economic status, in two tranches.

Some lawmakers, especially from the Makabayan bloc, urged to raise the assistance to P10,000 per family.

The measure also seeks to provide aid to households affected by the pandemic through a one-time cash subsidy of P5,000 to P10,000 for households in areas under the enhanced community quarantine or the same stricter level of restriction.

Constitutionality woes

However, Bayanihan 3 bill was also faced with issues in constitutionality, after it was approved at the House committee on appropriations without a certification of available funds from the Bureau of Treasury. 

Certification of available funds is required as indicated under the 1987 charter: "A special appropriations bill shall specify the purpose for which it is intended, and shall be supported by funds actually available as certified by the National Treasurer, or to be raised by a corresponding revenue proposed therein."

House Deputy Speaker and Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab pointed out he has reservations in approving the bill because he feared that without the mandated certification, there will be an "unfulfilled promise" and unfunded measure.

For his part, Albay Representative and ways and means committee chairperson Joey Salceda said the bill already meets the constitutional requirement that the proposal be supported by funds to be raised from revenues proposed in the same bill.

During the period of interpellations on Monday, Iloilo Representative and former Health Secretary Janette Garin proposed that P10,000 should be given to those who will test positive for COVID-19.

House Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez also earlier urged his colleagues to put safeguards in the bill to make sure its funds will not be used for campaigning in the May 2022 polls.

Cash aid

The bulk of the fund of the stimulus bill will go to P2,000 cash aid to be given in two phases to all 108 million Filipinos.

Getting the second highest allocation in the bill is pension and gratuity fund of military and uniformed personnel amounting to P54.6 billion.

Below are the programs to be implemented under Bayanihan 3:

Under the measure, P12 billion was appropriated for Phase 1 of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, which will address crisis response and recovery.

Stand-by funds worth P12 billion for the AICS program were also given for Phase 2 and P6 billion was appropriated for Phase 3.

Meanwhile, a total of P20 billion was allocated under the  Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) program to assist Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.

Under the bill, P8 billion each will be allocated for Phase 1 and Phase 2 while P4 billion was appropriated for Phase 3.

Employees may receive no less than P5,000 but not higher than P8,000 worth of wage subsidy.

A total of P25 billion was also appropriated to assist displaced or disadvantaged workers under the programs of the Department of Labor and Employment.

Of this, P10 billion each was appropriated for the implementation in Phase 1 and Phase 2 while P5 billion was appropriated for Phase 3.

Meanwhile, a total of P6 billion was appropriated for Republic Act 11037, or the national nutrition of Filipino children in daycare centers, kindergartens, and elementary schools.

Under the measure, a total of P30 billion was given in assistance to the Agri-Fishery Sector, P2 billion for financial grants, and technical assistance to the cooperatives registered under CDA that was affected by the pandemic.

A total of P9 billion was also appropriated as an additional medical response for the targeted indigent beneficiaries, P500 million for the free swab tests of overseas Filipino workers and seafarers, P3 billion as financial assistance to local government units in anti-COVID-19 efforts.

A total of P4 billion was appropriated to support basic education while P500 million was appropriated to support teachers in higher education.
On March 25 last year, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1) which granted him additional powers to address the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of P387.17 billion was released to various agencies under this law.

The Bayanihan to Recover As One Act (Bayanihan 2) was given an appropriation of P140 billion.  The validity of the fund was extended to June 30 this year to allow agencies to completely roll out their programs.—LDF, GMA News

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