Senator Francis Pangilinan on Tuesday, June 22, maintained that the executive department should release and spend the COVID-19 funds under the Bayanihan 2 law.
Pangilinan saw no need for a special Congress session to extend anew the validity of the appropriations under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Republic Act No. 11494), or Bayanihan 2.
"Right now, the ball is with the court of the Executive Department. They have basis to spend it. They have basis to release it. They have basis to obligate it. So that’s what they should do," the minority senator said in an online interview with reporters.
“It is really the challenge for the Executive Department...And hindi mapapaso by June 30 kapag obligated na. So nasaan ang bola? Nasa kanila (the funds will not expire once obligated. So the ball is with them),” the lawmaker said.
Pangilinan said the Bayanihan 2, whose validity was extended from December last year to June 30, 2021, specifies the funds will not be reverted to the national treasury if obligated on or before June 30.
"Nandiyan 'yong batas, nandyan 'yong paraan para gastusin 'yan. Pag na-obligate 'yan, hindi na kailangan i-extend. Ibig sabihin nong obligate kasi, naka-commit na 'yan so hindi na mare-revert (The law is there, they have the means to spend it. If they are just able to obligate it, there's no need to extend it. Obligate means committing the funds to a program so it won't be reverted anymore)," he explained.
Pangilinan earlier appealed to the government ramp up its spending of the Bayanihan 2 funds. Citing figures from the Department of Finance, he said P173 billion unspent.