293 congressmen back Bayanihan 3

MANILA, Philippines — House leaders have started deliberating on the proposed P405.6-billion Bayanihan to Arise as One or Bayanihan 3 law with almost all 300 congressmen supporting the measure.

At the opening of plenary deliberations on Monday night, economic affairs committee chair Sharon Garin said a total of 293 congressman signed as authors of the bill filed by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.

The number guarantees the swift approval of the bill in the chamber before sessions adjourn sine die on June 4.

Garin explained that Bayanihan 3 would provide three key economic interventions – Kalinga (support), Kabuhayan (livelihood) and Kalusugan (health).

Garin, of the AAMBIS-OWA party-list, said the Kalinga program includes a P2,000 ayuda for all Filipinos, which shall be disbursed in two tranches.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will implement a social amelioration program for food security through a one-time cash subsidy program of P5,000 to P10,000 for every affected household in areas placed under enhanced community quarantine.

Under Kabuhayan, a total of P12 billion will be earmarked for DSWD’s assistance to individuals in crisis situation, with an P18-billion standby fund to be disbursed in the next two phases.

To protect micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), a total of P20 billion will be earmarked for small business wage subsidies and disbursed in three phases.

Under Kalusugan, Republic Act 11037 or the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act of 2017 and RA 11148 or Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng  Mag-Nanay Act will be strengthened with a standby fund of P5 billion each for the implementation of the measures.

Standby fund amounting to P30 billion will also be earmarked for assistance to the agri-fishery sector, which will be disbursed in two phases.

Medical assistance to indigents and free swab tests for seafarers and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been incorporated in the bill.

“Let’s pass this swiftly, because this is what we have seen that our people need,” Garin appealed to fellow lawmakers.

Another principal author of the bill, Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, made the same pitch.

“The Filipino’s income fell and the prices have risen. The nation needs help,” Quimbo, deputy minority leader, said.

With the House super majority and minority supporting the measure, the debate boiled down to the issue of funding, particularly on where the government would source the budget to fund the third stimulus package in response to the pandemic.

Deputy Speaker and former appropriations committee chair Isidro Ungab expressed “reservations” about the measure.

Ungab said the departments of budget and management, finance as well as the Bureau of Treasury have not committed to the funding of the measure and issuance of certificate of funds availability.

Ungab said the certificate of funds availability is needed under the 1987 Constitution. Without it, he said there would be no source of revenue for the measure that aims to assist Filipinos bearing the brunt of the pandemic.

“Unless there is a well-defined source of revenue, as provided under Section 25 (item 4) of the Constitution, the implementation of the Bayanihan 3 ayuda will not reach the hands of the Filipino people at the time they need it the most,” Ungab said.

He clarified that he supports the proposed Bayanihan 3 and that he was expressing concern that the measure could be an “unfulfilled promise” without the certificate of fund availability.

In response, Quimbo said they have a “ballpark estimate” from the Department of Finance on the possibility of sourcing P63 billion from government-owned and controlled corporations.

She said funds from the 2021 budget realignments have yet to be computed.

Quimbo said the government could take out a loan amounting to as much as P282 billion, citing figures from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro questioned several sections of the bill during the period of amendments.

He specifically cited Section 5 of the bill, which said Filipinos need to reside in the Philippines for at least six months before they could qualify for aid.

Rodriguez, a co-author of the bill, warned that the provision was “discriminatory” against OFWs.

He flagged Section 3 of the bill, which said the aid would be given to “deserving Filipinos,” saying that “qualifying” Filipinos who would get the aid was also against the intentions of the proponents.

Garin said they would revise these two sections.

The House is expected to immediately pass the Bayanihan 3 bill to allow the Senate to also pass the measure before Congress adjourns next month.

Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros sought to realign unutilized funds under the Bayanihan to Recover As One or Bayanihan 2 Act to accommodate more Filipinos affected by the pandemic.

“In less than two months, the effectiveness of Bayanihan 2 will expire, but there are funds here that have not been used. We must realign it and use this to aid our countrymen who are still in need,” Hontiveros said.

She cited the P10-billion budget allocated under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-CARES program as working capital loans to MSMEs, including the tourism sector.

She said 70 percent of the funds remained intact as MSMEs in the sector did not tap the financial aid available to them.

“These loan appropriations can be realigned to provide cash assistance instead,” Hontiveros said.

“Assistance instead of loans. About 70 percent of the P10-billion funds for loans under the DTI-CARES remain untouched. That’s P7 billion worth of assistance that can benefit around 1.4 million Filipinos in need at P5,000 each,” Hontiveros said.

She said that cash assistance should be continuous as many Filipinos are still battling with the prolonged economic crisis and many families have fallen back into poverty. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Rhodina Villanueva