By Charissa Luci-Atienza The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations expressed on Tuesday, February 4, the readiness of the Lower Chamber to expeditiously act on the proposed P1-billion supplemental budget to help fight the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus in the country, should the Executive Department ask for such appropriations. House of the Representatives (Manila Bulletin File Photo) Rep. Isidro Ungab of Davao City 3rd district said while, they are waiting for the formal budget request from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) , the disaster funds under the 2020 General Appropriations Act, the available funds of Department of Health (DOH) under this year's national budget, and the 2019 national budget can be tapped to help strengthen the country's capability to address the threats of the virus. "The proposed P1- billion can be charged against the 2020 GAA and 2019 GAA with its validity extended. Any expenditure for the nCoV can be charged against available funds of the DOH. If funds are exhausted, the DOH and DBM can seek a supplemental budget identifying fund source with a National Treasurer certification," he told the Manila Bulletin in a text message. "We are willing to act as the soonest time possible, once the Executive Department submits a supplemental budget for this purpose," Ungab said. He noted that as of the moment, there's no certification yet from the National Treasurer. When asked if a supplemental bill should have been filed, the House leader said, "I'm still thinking about it. The book says a supplemental budget must be supported by a certification of funds availability by the National Treasurer. We might be shooting blanks." "It's not good to pass a budget that is not funded," he added. He explained that a supplemental budget is usually a proposal coming from DBM with the funds certified by the National Treasurer. Quezon 4th district Rep. Angelina Tan batted on Monday, February 3 for a P1-billion supplemental budget, not just P900 million, in order to give the DOH a buffer fund of P100 million. She cited the need for the government to strengthen the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine or RITM. According to her, RITM, currently, has only 50-beds for patients with infectious diseases requiring tertiary care, seven of which is for patients under investigation (PUIs). "The fear kits or ‘primers’ to identify if a patient is positive for the nCoV is with the RITM,” she said. She said the other DOH offices that should be strengthened are the following: the Disease and Prevention Control Bureau for its logistics and commodities; the Epidemiology Bureau for its surveillance; the Health Facility Development Bureau for its health facility preparedness, the Health Emergency Management Bureau for its quick response; the Bureau of Quarantine; the Health Promotion and Communications Service.