Duterte asked to certify Bayanihan II extension as urgent
MANILA, Philippines — The budget department wants President Rodrigo Duterte to certify as urgent bills that would allow government to spend unutilized stimulus funds until June 30 next year.
A letter was already sent to Duterte to request that measures extending the validity of funds falling under Republic Act 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover As One, be fast tracked, Budget Assistant Secretary Rolando Toledo told House lawmakers on Friday.
Once certified as urgent, legislators may pass the bill on second and third readings on the same day, bypassing a rule that mandates a 3-day gap between the two.
This, in turn, would save crucial time for Congress whose time is running out to deliver on their pledge to economic managers to keep Bayanihan II funds alive beyond December 19. Lawmakers only have until December 18 to pass laws before going into a holiday break.
Under the proposal approved by the House appropriations panel and backed by budget officials, only the validity of the P140 billion top-up fund under Bayanihan II would be extended, while Duterte’s special powers to realign funds within the broader P4.1-trillion outlay would be already be clipped.
So far, only P102 billion of the P140 billion funding had been released, Toledo said. This cash is meant to finance various subsidies and cash assistance to select individuals like public school teachers, as well as additional capital to state banks for lending.
The measure extending Bayanihan II would be tackled on the House floor on Monday.
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