The House of Representatives launched Monday, May 24 the debates for the proposed P405.6 billion Bayanihan 3 law that is authored by all but seven members of the legislative chamber.
With 293 out of 300 congressmen or 98 percent of members of the Lower House signing up as co-authors, the Bayanihan to Arise as One Act which seeks to distribute at least P1,000 for each Filipino, among other provisions, is expected to breeze through approval before the target deadline on June 3.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, a principal author of the measure, appealed to the Senate and the executive department to support the measure that consolidated legislative proposals of various political factions in the chamber, including that of his staunch critic, former Speaker and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.
“By passing the proposed Bayanihan 3 substitute bill, we are one step closer in ending the pandemic of plight and hunger that our embattled society is facing,” stated Velasco.
“That is why, we are here today to approve the substitute bill and the committee report of the proposed Bayanihan 3 Law, an emergency lifeline measure that will address the vulnerabilities of our country by providing lifesaving socio-economic assistance to the hardest hit sectors of our nation,” he said.
AAMBIS OWA Partylist Rep. Sharon Garin, principal sponsor of the measure, noted that with 98 percent of the Lower Chamber’s members included as co-author.
“This is not your bill anymore,” she told Velasco.
Garin, chairperson of the House Committee on Economic Affairs, cited the huge contribution of colleagues who studied and prepared the final and consolidated version of the measure. Among them are Deputy Speakers Conrad Estrella and Rufus Rodriguez and Reps. Claudine Bautista (DUMPER-PTDA); John Rey Tiangco (PDP-Laban, Navotas); Mark Enverga (NPC, Quezon); and Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (NPC, Negros Occidental), In his sponsorship speech, Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, defended the constitutioanlity of ther measure as he pointed out that funds required will be sourced from government revenues.
He said “borrowing can be used to fund” the economic stimulus package that will grant all Filipinos financial assistance and finance requirements of sectors that were adversely affected by the economic devastation triggered by the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“The underlying assumption was that because there was a reenacted budget for the same year, the supplemental budget would be funded with proceeds from regular borrowing operations of the government and would “"cover the funding deficiencies of the government in the event that the 2006 national budget is unacted upon by Congress." Salceda said.
Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas, chairman of the Committee on Social Services, lauded Benitez for his able leadership of the technical working group (TWG) that crafted the bill that “will free our people from the clutches of this disabling pandemic.”
Taking the first crack at interpellating sponsors of the measure, Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin expressed her opposition to the provision of the bill that would exempt government purchases from the provisions of the Government Procurement Law.
Garin also proposed that the P1,000 cash aid be granted only to individuals who will have themselves tested for COVID-19. Additional financial assistance of P10,000 to P20,000 should be granted persons who tested positive to the dreaded disease.
Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo said Garin’s proposals will be studied by the proponents of the measure.