After Duterte push during SONA, Senate passes Bayanihan 2. Where will its P140B standby fund go?

Bayanihan to Heal as One Act or Republic Act 11469 lapsed last month and to extend its provisions, including additional powers for the president and a P140 billion budget to be allocated on the government’s plans towards pandemic recovery, President Rodrigo Duterte plead to Congress yesterday during his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) to pass Bayanihan 2.

[READ: The most relatable quotes from Duterte’s 5th SONA and what they really mean]

A day after the president’s yearly report, Senate voted on the bill and with 22 yes votes versus a lone negative vote, the fate of Bayanihan to Recover as One Act will now be in the hands of legislators in the House of Representatives, which passed it on first reading last June 4.

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One of the sponsors of the original Bayanihan Act, Senator Sonny Angara said that Bayanihan 2 or Senate Bill 1564 as filed in Senate will extend the validity of provisions stated in RA 11469 that outline the steps to be taken by the government in response to the pandemic.

Where will the P140 billion allocation go?

One of which is the allocation of a total of P140 billion standby fund, which will be used to fund among others:

P10 billion for the procurement of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and extraction kits and medical supplies for the Department of Health (DOH)
P15 billion for the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) cash-for-work program and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD)
P17 billion for unemployment or involuntary separation assistance for displaced workers
P50 billion for government financial institutions (GFIs) as capital infusion for the grant of low-interest loans to micro, small and medium enterprises
P17 billion for the “Plant, Plant, Plant” program and cash subsidies and interest-free loans under the Agricultural Credit Policy Council and GFIs
P17 billion for the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the provision of interest rate subsidies and temporary livelihood for displaced workers
P10 billion for critically-impacted businesses in the tourism industry, and
P3 billion for state universities and colleges for the development of smart campuses to implement the flexible learning modality, and
P1 billion for Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for its training for work scholarship program and special training for employment program

Said funds will be sourced from the 2020 General Appropriations Act, savings from the first Bayanihan law, excess revenue collections, foreign loans and taxes collected from the offshore gaming industry.

Header photo courtesy of Senate of the Philippines Facebook page

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Writer: CHRISTIAN SAN JOSE