PRRD to ink Bayanihan 2 after consultation with various agencies

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte reviews a document during a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on June 22, 2020. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte will sign the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 bill once the ongoing consultation with various government agencies is completed, Malacañang said Monday.

In a virtual presser, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the measure will still have to undergo the “ordinary process” of consultation with various agencies of government.

“Kaya lang natatagalan nang kaunti at hindi pa naman mahabang panahon ang nakalipas, kinukonsulta po lahat ng ahensiya ng gobyerno na mayroong stake po dito sa Bayanihan 2 bill (The reason why it’s slightly delayed, but not too long, is because government agencies with a stake in Bayanihan 2 are still being consulted),” he said.

Once consultation is completed, Roque assured that Duterte would sign the measure right away.

“I can assure you po kapag natapos na po itong consultation na ito eh pipirmahan naman po iyan ng Presidente dahil hiningi naman po iyan ng Presidente sa Kongreso rin (when consultation is over, the President will sign it because the President requested this from the Congress),” he said.

According to Roque, the bill will be signed within the first two weeks of September.

“I think, they are aiming that the bill should be signed this week, next week at the latest,” he said.

The Senate and House of Representatives have recently ratified the Bayanihan 2 bill which will allow the President to realign funds for the Covid-19 pandemic.

The measure provides for a stimulus package worth PHP165.5 billion, which consists of PHP140 billion in regular appropriations and PHP25.

5 billion in standby funds

Support for the healthcare sector accounts for the biggest chunk in the proposed Bayanihan 2.

Under the Bayanihan 2, PHP40.5 billion will go to health-related programs, which includes PHP13.5 billion for the hiring of emergency human resources for health (HRH); augmentation for operations of DOH hospitals; special risk allowance for health workers; free life insurance, accommodation, transportation, and meals for health workers; and compensation for health workers who contract Covid-19 or die while fighting the disease.

On top of the PHP100,000 cash to be given to those who contract severe Covid-19 and the PHP1-million cash aid for the family of those who died while fighting the disease, PHP15,000 will also be given to those who will have mild or moderate cases.