House to pass more fiscal measures this week

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is set to pass this week more budget legislation for the government’s programs to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and calamity brought by recent typhoons.

Appropriations committee chairman ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap said the House plans to pass the bills extending the validity of both the 2020 national budget and the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or the Bayanihan 2 law before adjourning session to go into a month-long recess.

He explained that the extension of the measures is necessary to ensure continuous utilization of funds for programs provided in both laws.

“If we allow the 2020 GAA (General Appropriations Act) and Bayanihan 2 to expire without completing these projects, the funds would be reverted to the national treasury and we have to come up with new laws to use them. We cannot afford this delay in delivering urgent needs of our countrymen,” Yap stressed.

The 2020 GAA is set to expire on Dec. 31 while the Bayanihan 2 Law after Congress adjourns on Dec. 19.

Yap revealed that the implementation of programs and projects under the 2020 GAA were delayed because of the lockdown, adding that there are also programs under the Bayanihan 2 law that have yet to be completed.

Last week, the House approved on second reading the bill extending the validity of the 2020 national budget until next year.

The measure aims to amend Republic Act No. 11465, or the General Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2020, to extend the availability of its funds until Dec. 31, 2021 to be able to finance infrastructure projects under the current fiscal year that have been subjected for procurement.

It is expected to be passed on third and final reading by the plenary this week.

On the other hand, the measure seeking extension of the Bayanihan 2 law hurdled the committee level last week and is up for second and third reading approvals by the House plenary this week.

The consolidated bills seek to ensure consistent and efficient delivery of assistance to the Filipino people during this pandemic.

Proponents of the measure led by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez and panel chair Yap proposed that the validity of Bayanihan 2 Law be extended until June 30 next year.

“The availability of the appropriations under Republic Act 11494, otherwise known as the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act, is extended until June 30, 2021 provided that the availability of appropriations under RA 11465 or the GAA 2020 that were reprogrammed, reallocated or realigned from declared savings and utilized for programs and projects for COVID-19 interventions, including the automatic appropriations of new programs projects and activities pursuant to section 4 of the Bayanihan 2 Act are also extended for the same period,” read the bill.