MANILA – The PHP405.6-billion stimulus package under the Bayanihan to Arise As One Act or the Bayanihan 3 has been endorsed for plenary approval at the House of Representatives.
In a joint hearing on Monday (May 24), the House Committee on Economic Affairs and Committee on Social Services approved the unnumbered substitute bill to Bayanihan 3, which aims to boost the country’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic through direct emergency and social amelioration to Filipinos, livelihood interventions, as well as food security and health interventions.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, one of the principal authors of the measure, said at least 290 lawmakers are major writers and co-writers of the third Bayanihan measure.
The bill provides two rounds of cash assistance to every Filipino worth P1,000 each tranche. The cash subsidy program would have direct funding of P108 billion, and another P108 billion in standby funds.
“Lahat po dapat mabigyan natin ng tulong ngayong pandemya,” Velasco said. “It has to be equitable. Hindi ‘yung isang household bibigyan ng certain amount, eh baka tatatlo lang sila sa bahay tapos ang isang household naman ay 15 ang miyembro.”
Around P12 billion shall be appropriated for Phase 1 of assistance for households under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Some P12 billion shall be appropriated for Phase 2 and P6 billion for Phase 3 of the AICS program.
To assist micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) program shall be continued and expanded with direct funding of P8 billion, and stand-by funds worth P8 billion for Phase 2 and P4 billion for Phase 3.
To provide temporary employment to displaced workers, around P10 billion shall be appropriated for the implementation of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD), COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP), and Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) Program, while P10 billion shall be appropriated as stand-by funds for Phase 2 and P5 billion for Phase 3.
Assistance to the agri-fishery sector will receive a total of P30 billion worth of standby funds to finance programs and interventions toward food security and farmer income security and welfare.
The bill allocates P3 billion for medical assistance for indigent patients, and stand-by funds worth P3 billion each for Phases 2 and 3.
A total of P54.6 billion shall be allocated to the Pension and Gratuity Fund for retired military and the police, while the amount of P5.6 billion shall be appropriated to assist the Department of Education in the implementation of its digital education, information technology, and digital infrastructure and alternative learning modalities as part of the pandemic response and transition to a new normal.
Stand-by funds worth P5 billion each shall be allocated for the implementation of the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act and Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act, both of which are aimed at providing national nutrition. (PNA) -jlo
