Bayanihan 2 signing imminent — Palace

MANILA, Philippines — The Bayanihan 2 bill, which provides additional funds to the government’s pandemic response, may be signed into law next week, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said state agencies that have roles in the implementation of the measure have to be consulted first before the President signs the bill.

“That’s the ordinary process. But I can assure you, once the consultations are finished, the President would sign it because he was the one who asked Congress for it,” Roque said at a press briefing.

Asked if there is a timeline for the signing of the bill, Roque replied: “As soon as possible. I don’t think the first two weeks of September will pass without the bill being signed. I think they are aiming that the bill should be signed this week, next week at the latest.”

Bayanihan 2, which seeks to allocate P165.5 billion to the government’s pandemic war chest and to economic revival programs, was ratified by the two chambers of Congress late last month.

Among the items with biggest funding allocations are health-related responses such as the provision of face masks and face shields and construction of isolation facilities (P13.5 billion); cash-for-work program (P13 billion); capital infusion for government banks (P39.47 billion); assistance to the agriculture sector (P24 billion); assistance to the transportation sector (P9.5 billion); assistance for the development of smart campuses of state universities and colleges (P3 billion); allowances for qualified students (P600 million); scholarship funds for technical vocational courses (P1 billion); social welfare programs (P6 billion); digital education information technology and digital infrastructure (P4 billion); assistance for local governments (P1.5 billion); and hiring of contact tracers (P5 billion).

The bill also aims to set aside P10 billion for coronavirus tests, medicines and vaccines.