Solons want probe into unspent Bayanihan 2 funds, 2nd extension

Representatives of the Citizens Battle Against Corruption over the weekend called for an inquiry over the billions of unused funds under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, which expired in June.

In a statement on Sunday, CIBAC said party-list lawmakers House Deputy Speaker Bro. Eddie Villanueva and Domeng Rivera filed House Resolution 1913 seeking for an inquiry on the utilization of the Bayanihan 2 funds.

Villanueva said, “The expiration of unspent Bayanihan 2 funds simply means one thing: we deny our people of their much-needed help and assistance amidst this COVID-19 pandemic when they are already grappling to survive.”

“It is necessary that we look into why this happened and track any bureaucratic bottleneck, inefficiency or negligence that might have led to the lapse of the funds,” he added.

Moreover, he said an inquiry will be helpful for Congress to scrutinize the proposed 2022 budget, which could reach P5.024 trillion.

Last week, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said there was P6.49 billion unused funds under Bayanihan 2, which expired on June 30. It was earlier set to lapse on December 19, 2020 but was extended.

The Department of Education has the biggest amount of unobligated funds worth P1.744 billion, which was intended to cover for the funding requirements for the implementation of digital education, information technology, and digital infrastructure, and alternative modules.

Next to DepEd was the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with P1.294 billion, followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with P1 billion.

“Sobrang kailangan ng mga kababayan natin ang mga pondong ito, kaya nakakapagtaka bakit hindi ito naibaba ng ating pamahalaan,” said Rivera.

[Filipinos need these funds, and it makes us wonder why these were not used by the government.]

“It is just a matter of obligating or committing these funds for the purposes laid down in Bayanihan 2 law so that the same will not revert to the Treasury anymore,” he added.

In the same statement, the two lawmakers also backed calls for a special session to pass another extension of the Bayanihan 2 funds so these can be used by the government.

“Or else, the unspent funds will be pooled into savings which might have the danger of being utilized not for COVID-19 pandemic response efforts,” the statement indicated.

On Sunday, the Philippines reported 5,966 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total caseload to 1,436,369. This includes 52,708 active cases; 1,358,512 recoveries; and 25,149 deaths. —Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/LBG, GMA News