House committed to approve Bayanihan 2, says Romualdez

The House of Representatives is committed to approve the second part of the Bayanihan law to further help the government address the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez made the remark on Thursday after Malacañang said President Rodrigo Duterte may call for a special session to approve the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Law.

In a statement, Romualdez said the House is still waiting for an official communication from the Palace regarding the special session.

"The House leadership under Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano is committed to approve the Bayanihan to Recover as One bill or the Bayanihan II to help President Rodrigo Duterte kickstart our economy and strengthen the government’s fight against the spread of COVID-19," he said.

"We have to support the President to ensure the country and Filipinos’ survival from this pandemic. The members of the House Majority are in full agreement that we all have to work for the passage of the Bayanihan II. We will get the job done," he added.

Romualdez reiterated the support of the 18th Congress to the President since their sessions opened in July last year.

"We are supportive of President Duterte and his legislative agenda with vitality, energy, and enthusiasm to continue the progress of his administration and to serve the nation," he said.

Under the House version of proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Law, a P162-billion standby fund will be appropriated and be used to support operations and response measures to address the COVID-19 crisis.

These include enhancement of healthcare services and COVID-19 testing, assistance to workers, the education sector, government financial institutions, the agriculture sector, tourism, among others.

Like the first Bayanihan Law, this measure also provides for the grant of P5,000 to P8,000 subsidy, but now covers "all affected Filipinos" which include low income families, households with recently returned OFWs, and no-work-no-pay individuals such as freelancers and self-employed individuals.

It also grants a one month emergency subsidy to low income households who are qualified but not granted such as mandated in the first Bayanihan Law.

The House was able to approve the measure at the committee level, through the Committee of the Whole, before it adjourned sine die last month. —KBK, GMA News