Manila Bulletin
Philippines
Villafuerte: Congress needs to authorize Duterte to realign P275 B to combat pandemic
Philippines
Villafuerte: Congress needs to authorize Duterte to realign P275 B to combat pandemic
Villafuerte: Congress needs to authorize Duterte to realign P275 B to combat pandemic
Published Mar 23, 2020 12:00 am
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. Luis Raymund "LRay" Villafuerte Jr. cited the need for Congress to allow President Duterte to realign as much P275 billion government funds to respond to the pandemic crisis.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund "LRay" Villafuerte
(FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN) During the online plenary deliberations on House Bill No. 6616 or the “Bayanihan Act of 2020", he said of the P275 billion "off budget available", P200 billion will be allocated for the implementation of emergency subsidy program to benefit 18 million poor households for the period of two months and P75 billion to "fund health requirements and other services." "This measure will also authorize the transfer of funds intended for non-essential expenditures to essential ones, particularly the emergency subsidies for the marginalized and vulnerable, as well as relief and recovery programs for affected workers and small and medium-sized businesses," he said. "This bill will also allow the government to adequately equip and protect our countless health practitioners who are at the frontlines of our battle against Covid-19,” he added. HB 6616 seeks to declare the existence of a national emergency and authorizes President Duterte for two months to exercise "necessary" powers to deal with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic crisis, including the powers to realign government funds and direct the operation any privately-owned hospitals, medical and health facilities, hotels and other similar establishments. HB 6616 provides that notwithstanding any law to the contrary, President Duterte is authorized to "reprogram, reallocate, and realign any appropriation in the Fiscal Year 2020 GAA for whatever purpose the President may deem necessary and desirable to fund measures to address and respond to the COVID-19 emergency, including social amelioration for affected communities, and the recovery and rehabilitation of areas where the emergency is subsiding." "All amounts so reprogrammed, reallocated or realigned shall be deemed automatically appropriated for such measures to address the COVID-19 situation," the bill provides. "The proposed “Bayanihan Heal as One Act” will let the national and local governments raise spending on urgent measures to protect Filipinos from the onslaught of Covid-19, without sacrificing the outlays in the 2020 GAA comprising the unmatched state investments in infrastructure modernization, human capital development and social protection, particularly for the poor and underprivileged sectors,” Villafuerte said. He maintained that the bill is "constitutionally sound." The bill provides that the proposed Act "shall be in full force and effect only for two months or longer if the calamity will persist, as may be determined by the President, without prejudice to the powers that the President may continue to exercise under the Constitution or other laws. It also provides that the powers granted under the Act may be withdrawn sooner by means of a concurrent resolution of Congress or ended by Presidential Proclamation. Villafuerte also clarified that the bill does not call for the take-over of public utilities and private establishments. He said HB 6616 specifically provides "when the public interest so requires," the President is authorized "to direct the operation of any privately owned hospitals, medical and health facilities, hotels and other similar establishments to house health workers, serve as quarantine areas, quarantine centers, medical relief and aid distribution locations or other temporary medical facilities; and public transportation to ferry health, emergency, and frontline personnel and other persons." However, the management and operation of such enterprises shall be retained by the owners of the public service or enterprise, who shall render full accounting to the President or his duly authorized representative of the operations of the utility or business as basis for appropriate compensation, the bill provides. The measure provides that after the situation has stabilized or at the soonest time practicable, reasonable compensation for any additional damage or costs incurred by the owner of the subject property solely on account of complying with the directive shall be given. "Finally, that if the foregoing enterprises unjustifiably refuse or signified that they are no longer capable of operating their enterprises for the purpose stated herein, the President may take over their operations subject to the limits and safeguards enshrined in the Constitution," Section 4 of HB 6616 provides. Villafuerte also noted that the bill provides that any unutilized or unreleased balance in a special purpose fund, as of the date of declaration of State of Emergency, shall be considered to have their purpose abandoned for the duration of the State of Emergency. "All such unspent, unutilized or unreleased money or funds sourced from collections or receipts, including future collections and receipts, shall be utilized and are hereby appropriated for such measures to address the COVID-19 situation and accomplish the declared national policy herein," he said, quoting the bill. He said under the bill, the President is also authorized to allocate cash, funds, investments, including unutilized or unreleased subsidies and transfers, held by any government-owned or -controlled corporation (GOCC) or any national government agency for whatever purpose the President may deem necessary and desirable in order to address the COVID-19 emergency. The Deputy Speaker also noted HB 6616 also empowers President Duterte to direct the cancellation of appropriated programs, projects or activities (P/A/P) of any agency of the Executive Department, including GOCCs in the FYs 2019 and 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA). He said the savings generated from such initiative will be used to "augment the allocation for any item for support operations, response measures, and other such P/A/P in the FY 2020 GAA as the President may deem necessary, beneficial or desirable in order to address the COVID-19 emergency, consistent with the herein declared national policy." HB 6616 also authorizes President Duterte "to ensure all Local Government Units (LGUs) are acting in line with the rules, regulations and directives issued by the national government, and are implementing standards of community quarantine that are neither more nor less restrictive than what the national government has laid down for the subject area." The bill also empowers the Chief Executive to expedite the medical testing and observation of PUIs and PUMs and the immediate treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19. Under HB 6616, President Duterte is also authorized to undertake the procurement of the following goods-- which may include personal protective equipment such as gloves, gowns, masks, goggles, face shields; surgical equipment and supplies; laboratory equipment; medical supplies; common medicines; and testing kits "as the need arises, in the most expeditious manner, as exemptions from the provisions of Republic Act No. 9184 and other relevant laws." The bill also provides that the goods and services for social amelioration measures in favor of affected communities shall be exempt from the procurement laws. These include the: Lease of real property or venue for use to house health workers or serve as quarantine centers, medical relief and aid distribution locations, or temporary medical facilities; Establishment, construction, and operation of temporary medical facilities; Utilities, telecommunications, and other critical services in relation to operation of quarantine centers, medical relief and aid distribution centers and temporary medical facilities; and Ancillary services. HB 6616 also seeks to liberalize the grant of incentives for the manufacture or importation of critical or needed equipment or supplies, including healthcare equipment and supplies, and require businesses to prioritize and accept contracts for materials and services necessary to promote the declared national policy.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund "LRay" Villafuerte(FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN) During the online plenary deliberations on House Bill No. 6616 or the “Bayanihan Act of 2020", he said of the P275 billion "off budget available", P200 billion will be allocated for the implementation of emergency subsidy program to benefit 18 million poor households for the period of two months and P75 billion to "fund health requirements and other services." "This measure will also authorize the transfer of funds intended for non-essential expenditures to essential ones, particularly the emergency subsidies for the marginalized and vulnerable, as well as relief and recovery programs for affected workers and small and medium-sized businesses," he said. "This bill will also allow the government to adequately equip and protect our countless health practitioners who are at the frontlines of our battle against Covid-19,” he added. HB 6616 seeks to declare the existence of a national emergency and authorizes President Duterte for two months to exercise "necessary" powers to deal with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic crisis, including the powers to realign government funds and direct the operation any privately-owned hospitals, medical and health facilities, hotels and other similar establishments. HB 6616 provides that notwithstanding any law to the contrary, President Duterte is authorized to "reprogram, reallocate, and realign any appropriation in the Fiscal Year 2020 GAA for whatever purpose the President may deem necessary and desirable to fund measures to address and respond to the COVID-19 emergency, including social amelioration for affected communities, and the recovery and rehabilitation of areas where the emergency is subsiding." "All amounts so reprogrammed, reallocated or realigned shall be deemed automatically appropriated for such measures to address the COVID-19 situation," the bill provides. "The proposed “Bayanihan Heal as One Act” will let the national and local governments raise spending on urgent measures to protect Filipinos from the onslaught of Covid-19, without sacrificing the outlays in the 2020 GAA comprising the unmatched state investments in infrastructure modernization, human capital development and social protection, particularly for the poor and underprivileged sectors,” Villafuerte said. He maintained that the bill is "constitutionally sound." The bill provides that the proposed Act "shall be in full force and effect only for two months or longer if the calamity will persist, as may be determined by the President, without prejudice to the powers that the President may continue to exercise under the Constitution or other laws. It also provides that the powers granted under the Act may be withdrawn sooner by means of a concurrent resolution of Congress or ended by Presidential Proclamation. Villafuerte also clarified that the bill does not call for the take-over of public utilities and private establishments. He said HB 6616 specifically provides "when the public interest so requires," the President is authorized "to direct the operation of any privately owned hospitals, medical and health facilities, hotels and other similar establishments to house health workers, serve as quarantine areas, quarantine centers, medical relief and aid distribution locations or other temporary medical facilities; and public transportation to ferry health, emergency, and frontline personnel and other persons." However, the management and operation of such enterprises shall be retained by the owners of the public service or enterprise, who shall render full accounting to the President or his duly authorized representative of the operations of the utility or business as basis for appropriate compensation, the bill provides. The measure provides that after the situation has stabilized or at the soonest time practicable, reasonable compensation for any additional damage or costs incurred by the owner of the subject property solely on account of complying with the directive shall be given. "Finally, that if the foregoing enterprises unjustifiably refuse or signified that they are no longer capable of operating their enterprises for the purpose stated herein, the President may take over their operations subject to the limits and safeguards enshrined in the Constitution," Section 4 of HB 6616 provides. Villafuerte also noted that the bill provides that any unutilized or unreleased balance in a special purpose fund, as of the date of declaration of State of Emergency, shall be considered to have their purpose abandoned for the duration of the State of Emergency. "All such unspent, unutilized or unreleased money or funds sourced from collections or receipts, including future collections and receipts, shall be utilized and are hereby appropriated for such measures to address the COVID-19 situation and accomplish the declared national policy herein," he said, quoting the bill. He said under the bill, the President is also authorized to allocate cash, funds, investments, including unutilized or unreleased subsidies and transfers, held by any government-owned or -controlled corporation (GOCC) or any national government agency for whatever purpose the President may deem necessary and desirable in order to address the COVID-19 emergency. The Deputy Speaker also noted HB 6616 also empowers President Duterte to direct the cancellation of appropriated programs, projects or activities (P/A/P) of any agency of the Executive Department, including GOCCs in the FYs 2019 and 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA). He said the savings generated from such initiative will be used to "augment the allocation for any item for support operations, response measures, and other such P/A/P in the FY 2020 GAA as the President may deem necessary, beneficial or desirable in order to address the COVID-19 emergency, consistent with the herein declared national policy." HB 6616 also authorizes President Duterte "to ensure all Local Government Units (LGUs) are acting in line with the rules, regulations and directives issued by the national government, and are implementing standards of community quarantine that are neither more nor less restrictive than what the national government has laid down for the subject area." The bill also empowers the Chief Executive to expedite the medical testing and observation of PUIs and PUMs and the immediate treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19. Under HB 6616, President Duterte is also authorized to undertake the procurement of the following goods-- which may include personal protective equipment such as gloves, gowns, masks, goggles, face shields; surgical equipment and supplies; laboratory equipment; medical supplies; common medicines; and testing kits "as the need arises, in the most expeditious manner, as exemptions from the provisions of Republic Act No. 9184 and other relevant laws." The bill also provides that the goods and services for social amelioration measures in favor of affected communities shall be exempt from the procurement laws. These include the: Lease of real property or venue for use to house health workers or serve as quarantine centers, medical relief and aid distribution locations, or temporary medical facilities; Establishment, construction, and operation of temporary medical facilities; Utilities, telecommunications, and other critical services in relation to operation of quarantine centers, medical relief and aid distribution centers and temporary medical facilities; and Ancillary services. HB 6616 also seeks to liberalize the grant of incentives for the manufacture or importation of critical or needed equipment or supplies, including healthcare equipment and supplies, and require businesses to prioritize and accept contracts for materials and services necessary to promote the declared national policy.