The House Committee on Appropriations approved Friday a bill extending the validity of funds under the P165.5-billion Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2.
Getting the panel's nod during a virtual hearing was a currently unnumbered substitute bill which consolidated House Bill (HB) Nos.7957, 7979, 8014, 8063, and 8099.
Appropriations committee vice chairman Davao de Oro Rep. Ruwel Peter Gonzaga presided over the hearing in lieu of chairman ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Go Yap.
The substitute bill seeks to extend the validity of Bayanihan 2 appropriations up to June 30, 2021 or roughly six months after its expiration based on the current law.
Among the authors of the measure, deemed urgent by the Legislative, were House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, presidential son and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, and Yap.
"As far as the bill is concerned, we are one with you in supporting the extension of the appropriation and of course the release of the appropriation under the Bayanihan 2 and not the emergency powers of the President," Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Assistant Secretary Rolando Toledo told the panel during the hearing.
"In addition to that, we already sent a memorandum for the President to support this extension of Bayanihan 2 and even to certify it as an urgent bill," added Toledo.
If the Palace certifies the bill as urgent, the House members may approve it on third and final reading next week before they go back to their respective districts during the holiday recess.
Abra Rep. Joseph Bernos moved for the approval of the bill. Gonzaga carried the motion after hearing no objections.
Key to the measure's hurdling of the committee level was the concurrence of vice chairman, Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza, who, at first, had serious concerns on the bill, specifically on the Executive branch's power to realign projects as seen with Bayanihan 2.
"I think most members may not want to have a repeat of what happened this year where many projects were realigned. 'Build, Build, Build' infrastructure projects were discontinued, they were revived, and then half was 'for later release,' the balance was put in the 2021 budget, in effect reducing the infrastructure projects that are critical in many poor areas... I just want an assurance that that won't happen," Daza said.
In response, Gonzaga said the substitute bill won't allow this to continue since it provides for a "time limit" for the Executive to exercise this authority.
"To assure everyone that your fear won't happen again, that is why the authority of the Executive to reprogram, reallocate, or realign from savings on other items in the 2020 GAA is until Dec. 19, 2020. It has a time limit. That means if you go beyond (that date), there is no power from the executive to reprogram," Gonzaga said.
Bayanihan 2, which is a P165.5-billion economic stimulus package meant to prop up sectors adversely affected by the pandemic, was signed into law last Sept. 11.