House passes anti-COVID measures in less than 40 minutes
Published May 26, 2020 12:00 am
By Ellson Quismorio
In less than 40 minutes, the House of Representatives' Defeat COVID-19 Ad Hoc Committee (DCC) approved on Tuesday morning three key measures that are meant to help Filipinos survive the financial and socio-economic impact of the pandemic.
(Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN)
Hurdling the DCC mother panel and getting cleared for plenary deliberations are the Philippine Economic Stimulus Act (PESA), Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer Bill (FIST), and the Anti-Discrimination Bill.
The bills were approved in that order during a virtual hearing presided by Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, who co-chairs the DCC along with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.
"These measures are not the panacea to all our problems. But these pieces of legislation may be considered as the next step in our calibrated response to ease the suffering of our people,” said Romualdez, who represents Leyte's 1st district.
Congress is scheduled to adjourn next week upon the conclusion of the first regular session.
Deputy Majority Leader, Zamboanga Sibugay 1st district Rep. Wilter “Sharky” Wee Palma II manifested that over a hundred House members, which is a third of the chamber, was logged in during the proceedings. Nobody objected to the bills and hardly any interpellations or questions were hurled at the sponsors
If that's any indication, the trio of anti-COVID measures will also have smooth sailing in the plenary debates later today.
Upon the motion of Lanao del Norte 1st district Rep. Khalid Dimaporo, the DCC approved the report of the Economic Stimulus Response Package Subcommittee co-chaired by Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo, and AAMBIS-OWA Party-List Rep. Sharon Garin on the PESA.
Perhaps the most important among the three bills, the PESA or the P1.3-trillion economic stimulus measure will be implemented up until 2023. The measure was co-authored by at least 260 lawmakers.
“We are fortunate that the best minds of the 18th congress have racked their brains for the past weeks for this purpose. The approval of the economic stimulus package will ensure the availability of jobs and continuity of business for millions of Filipinos. a stimulus program that seeks to restore our economic growth, maintain employment levels, and expand the country's productive capacity,” said Romualdez.
Garin, who presented the bill to the panel, said the proposed economic stimulus program is meant to ensure continued business operations and job retention during the COVID-19 pandemic. An estimated 4.1 million employees from the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) alone are expected to benefit from it.
Meanwhile, Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries chairman, Quirino 1st district Rep. Junie Cua, Jr.'s report on the proposed FIST Law was also approved by the
DCC through the motion of House Deputy Majority Leader and Pampanga 4th district Rep. Rimpy Bondoc
Romualdez said FIST aims to "strengthen the financial sector in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis through rehabilitation of distressed businesses and improving liquidity of the financial system."
The measure seeks to help financial institutions in their bad debt resolution and management of their non-performing assets (NPAs) to cushion the effects of the pandemic on their financial operations. As a result of the pandemic and disruption of economic activities, most financial Institutions are facing a period of delayed loan collections and are at risk of recording higher NPAs across all borrower segments.
Another Deputy Majority Leader in Pampanga 2nd district Rep. Mikey Arroyo endorsed for plenary approval the report of the Peace and Order Cluster on the Anti-Discrimination Bill. The cluster is co-chaired by Iloilo 5th district Rep. Raul Tupas, Masbate 1st district Rep. Narciso Bravo, Jr. and Quezon City 4th district Rep. Jesus “Bong” Suntay, Jr.
Principally sponsored by Quezon City 6th district Rep. Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte, the Anti-Discrimination Bill prohibits discrimination against persons deemed confirmed, suspect, probable, and recovered cases of COVID-19. These include healthcare workers and service providers.
It seeks to grant full, inviolable protection against prejudice and discrimination to those who have already suffered and recovered from COVID-19. It also seeks to recognize the dignity and heroism of the work of health workers, responders, and service workers.
Before it was passed, Cagayan de Oro 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez proposed a more severe category of penalties for actions of "actual harassment and actual assault" in connection with violators of the Anti-Discrimination Bill.
"These are direct actions which are contemptuous and against our heroes," he said, referring to frontline workers. In response, Bravo said, "We have no problem with that and we agree with the amendment."
(Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN)
Hurdling the DCC mother panel and getting cleared for plenary deliberations are the Philippine Economic Stimulus Act (PESA), Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer Bill (FIST), and the Anti-Discrimination Bill.
The bills were approved in that order during a virtual hearing presided by Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, who co-chairs the DCC along with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.
"These measures are not the panacea to all our problems. But these pieces of legislation may be considered as the next step in our calibrated response to ease the suffering of our people,” said Romualdez, who represents Leyte's 1st district.
Congress is scheduled to adjourn next week upon the conclusion of the first regular session.
Deputy Majority Leader, Zamboanga Sibugay 1st district Rep. Wilter “Sharky” Wee Palma II manifested that over a hundred House members, which is a third of the chamber, was logged in during the proceedings. Nobody objected to the bills and hardly any interpellations or questions were hurled at the sponsors
If that's any indication, the trio of anti-COVID measures will also have smooth sailing in the plenary debates later today.
Upon the motion of Lanao del Norte 1st district Rep. Khalid Dimaporo, the DCC approved the report of the Economic Stimulus Response Package Subcommittee co-chaired by Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo, and AAMBIS-OWA Party-List Rep. Sharon Garin on the PESA.
Perhaps the most important among the three bills, the PESA or the P1.3-trillion economic stimulus measure will be implemented up until 2023. The measure was co-authored by at least 260 lawmakers.
“We are fortunate that the best minds of the 18th congress have racked their brains for the past weeks for this purpose. The approval of the economic stimulus package will ensure the availability of jobs and continuity of business for millions of Filipinos. a stimulus program that seeks to restore our economic growth, maintain employment levels, and expand the country's productive capacity,” said Romualdez.
Garin, who presented the bill to the panel, said the proposed economic stimulus program is meant to ensure continued business operations and job retention during the COVID-19 pandemic. An estimated 4.1 million employees from the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) alone are expected to benefit from it.
Meanwhile, Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries chairman, Quirino 1st district Rep. Junie Cua, Jr.'s report on the proposed FIST Law was also approved by the
DCC through the motion of House Deputy Majority Leader and Pampanga 4th district Rep. Rimpy Bondoc
Romualdez said FIST aims to "strengthen the financial sector in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis through rehabilitation of distressed businesses and improving liquidity of the financial system."
The measure seeks to help financial institutions in their bad debt resolution and management of their non-performing assets (NPAs) to cushion the effects of the pandemic on their financial operations. As a result of the pandemic and disruption of economic activities, most financial Institutions are facing a period of delayed loan collections and are at risk of recording higher NPAs across all borrower segments.
Another Deputy Majority Leader in Pampanga 2nd district Rep. Mikey Arroyo endorsed for plenary approval the report of the Peace and Order Cluster on the Anti-Discrimination Bill. The cluster is co-chaired by Iloilo 5th district Rep. Raul Tupas, Masbate 1st district Rep. Narciso Bravo, Jr. and Quezon City 4th district Rep. Jesus “Bong” Suntay, Jr.
Principally sponsored by Quezon City 6th district Rep. Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte, the Anti-Discrimination Bill prohibits discrimination against persons deemed confirmed, suspect, probable, and recovered cases of COVID-19. These include healthcare workers and service providers.
It seeks to grant full, inviolable protection against prejudice and discrimination to those who have already suffered and recovered from COVID-19. It also seeks to recognize the dignity and heroism of the work of health workers, responders, and service workers.
Before it was passed, Cagayan de Oro 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez proposed a more severe category of penalties for actions of "actual harassment and actual assault" in connection with violators of the Anti-Discrimination Bill.
"These are direct actions which are contemptuous and against our heroes," he said, referring to frontline workers. In response, Bravo said, "We have no problem with that and we agree with the amendment."