THE House of Representatives on Tuesday endorsed for Senate approval the proposed P401-billion Bayanihan to Arise as One Act or the Bayanihan 3.
This after lawmakers, voting 238 affirmative, zero negative with one abstention, approved on third and final reading House Bill 9411, authored by 298 representatives.
The bill includes a P2,000 ayuda for all Filipinos, to be disbursed in two tranches.
The measure provides the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) a total of P30 billion to implement Emergency Assistance to Affected Households (AICS), with P24 billion to be disbursed in the next two phases.
To protect MSMEs, a total of P20 billion shall be earmarked for small business wage subsidies (SBWS) and disbursed in three phases.
The bill also strengthens Republic Act 11037, or the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act of 2017, and Republic Act 11148 or Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act, with P5 billion in funding.
Standby funds of P30 billion shall also be earmarked for assistance to the agri-fishery sector, to be disbursed in two phases. Also, medical assistance to indigents and free swab tests for seafarers and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been incorporated in the bill.
The bill also highlights the support to basic education—through the procurement of laptops for teachers, mobile and internet allowance for Department of Education (DepEd) personnel, distance learning modalities (online and broadcast platforms), radio-based instruction infrastructure (Last Mile Schools), and the provision of N95 masks for DepEd employees and teachers.
The revenue sources provision of the bill allows for provisional advances by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to the national government, in an amount not exceeding 10 percent of the average income of the National Government for FYs 2018 to 2020.
Also, Section 35 of the measure allows the Secretary of Finance to increase by 25 percent the minimum required dividend remittances from government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs), from the current 50 percent set by Republic Act No. 7656. Also, Section 36 allows the President to authorize the withdrawal of capital from overcapitalized GOCCs, subject to conditions of continued viability.
House Committee on Economic Affairs Chairperson Sharon Garin has admitted that the Bayanihan is not part of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) priorities.
However, Garin said the legislative and executive are still in talks on where the total funding for third Bayanihan law would come from.
The National Treasurer also has not issued a certification of availability of funds (CAF).
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, who abstained from voting, said the Bayanihan 3 does not comply with the mandatory requirement of the Constitution without the CAF.
He said verification from National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon indicated “that there has been no formal request from the House of Representatives for the issuance of a certificate of availability of funds for Bayanihan 3. She [de Leon] added, however, that during discussions with the proponents of Bayanihan 3, she verbally informed them that presently there are no funds available,” Lagman said.
Priorities
A day before the sine die adjournment in the lower chamber, Lord Allan Velasco and Senate President Vicente Sotto III met on Tuesday to discuss their pending legislative measures and possible scenarios for President Duterte’s last State of the Nation Address (Sona) in July.
Just like last year, Velasco has said the President’s last Sona on July 26 could be done through “hybrid” session, where limited people were allowed inside the Batasang Pambasa.
The House also approved Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 2, which proposes amendments to restrictive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution, on final reading on Tuesday.
Sources from the House said the Bayanihan 3 and the RBH 2 are not included in the Senate priority list. The Senate is expected to adjourn on Thursday.
The Senate, meanwhile, is expected to pass the Congress’ and President Duterte’s priority measures —creation of the overseas Filipinos department, the Public Service Act and Retail Trade Act. These measures have already been approved by the House.
Image courtesy of Roy Domingo