Senate ratifies reconciled Bayanihan 2 measure
Photo Credit: Senate of the Philippines Facebook Page
The Senate has ratified the reconciled version of the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 measure which seeks to provide aid to sectors affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
During Thursday's plenary session, senators adopted the report of the bicameral conference committee on the disagreeing provisions of the Senate and House versions of the proposed law.
“As much as we wanted to accommodate all requests and provide support to every distressed Filipino, the economic stimulus in this measure is bounded by our fiscal limitations," said Senate Finance Committee Chair Senator Sonny Angara in sponsoring the bicameral report.
“Therefore, we tried our best to cover as much ground as we could, and be as strategic as possible, with the fiscal space that was open to us -- with the hope that in the coming months, we may be able to legislate an even greater economic stimulus,” he added.
The Bayanihan 2 bill has a total allocation of P165.5 billion, but only P140 billion will be readily available for use. The P25.5 billion will serve as a standby fund and will be released once funds generated from savings and unused appropriations become available.
Among the measure’s salient points is the P15,000 cash aid for healthcare workers who contract mild COVID-19, said Angara.
The P100,000 compensation for healthcare workers who become severely or critically ill was retained in Bayanihan 2. Cash assistance of P1 million to the families of medical workers who died from COVID-19 is also mandated under the measure.
The bill also allocates funding for the special risk allowance of P10,000 to medical frontliners who attend to patients with coronavirus.
Meanwhile, P3 billion is allocated for the procurement of medical supplies such as face masks, personal protective equipment, shoe covers and face shields, while P4.5 billion is allocated for the construction of temporary medical isolation and quarantine facilities, field hospitals, dormitories for frontliners.
The P4.5 billion will also be used to expand the capacity of government hospitals.
The bill also seeks to assist sectors that were hit badly by the pandemic.
Some P9.5 billion is allocated to aid the transportation sector while P13 billion will be used to help displaced workers.
The bill also provides funding for COVID-19 testing and loan condonation for agrarian reform beneficiaries.
Bayanihan 2 allocates P10 billion to help both workers and enterprises under the tourism sector as well as make way for tourism infrastructure.
Once both the Senate and the House ratify the reconciled measure, it will be transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.
The House ratification of Bayanihan 2 is expected early next week.
During Thursday's plenary session, senators adopted the report of the bicameral conference committee on the disagreeing provisions of the Senate and House versions of the proposed law.
“As much as we wanted to accommodate all requests and provide support to every distressed Filipino, the economic stimulus in this measure is bounded by our fiscal limitations," said Senate Finance Committee Chair Senator Sonny Angara in sponsoring the bicameral report.
“Therefore, we tried our best to cover as much ground as we could, and be as strategic as possible, with the fiscal space that was open to us -- with the hope that in the coming months, we may be able to legislate an even greater economic stimulus,” he added.
The Bayanihan 2 bill has a total allocation of P165.5 billion, but only P140 billion will be readily available for use. The P25.5 billion will serve as a standby fund and will be released once funds generated from savings and unused appropriations become available.
Among the measure’s salient points is the P15,000 cash aid for healthcare workers who contract mild COVID-19, said Angara.
The P100,000 compensation for healthcare workers who become severely or critically ill was retained in Bayanihan 2. Cash assistance of P1 million to the families of medical workers who died from COVID-19 is also mandated under the measure.
The bill also allocates funding for the special risk allowance of P10,000 to medical frontliners who attend to patients with coronavirus.
Meanwhile, P3 billion is allocated for the procurement of medical supplies such as face masks, personal protective equipment, shoe covers and face shields, while P4.5 billion is allocated for the construction of temporary medical isolation and quarantine facilities, field hospitals, dormitories for frontliners.
The P4.5 billion will also be used to expand the capacity of government hospitals.
The bill also seeks to assist sectors that were hit badly by the pandemic.
Some P9.5 billion is allocated to aid the transportation sector while P13 billion will be used to help displaced workers.
The bill also provides funding for COVID-19 testing and loan condonation for agrarian reform beneficiaries.
Bayanihan 2 allocates P10 billion to help both workers and enterprises under the tourism sector as well as make way for tourism infrastructure.
Once both the Senate and the House ratify the reconciled measure, it will be transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.
The House ratification of Bayanihan 2 is expected early next week.
