House ratified ‘Bayanihan 2’

Last updated on May 18th, 2021 at 05:16 am

METRO MANILA – The Senate has ratified last night the P140-billion Bayanihan to Recover as One measure that will support the sectors heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chair of the Senate finance committee Sen. Sonny Angara said the funds will be used for the various government programs with an additional P25-billion standby appropriation and P10 billion for the procurement of vaccines.

Angara added that In Bayanihan 2, even if the vaccine has no stage 4 trials, as long as it was certified by the World Health Organization, the government can make advance procurements.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said that the P10 billion budget will be allocated as follows: P6 billion for the tourism SMEs, P3 billion for for displaced tourism industry workers and P1 billion tourism infrastructure under DPWH.

The newly approved bayanihan 2 will take effect until Dec. 19.

Under Bayanihan 2, P13.5 billion will be allocated for the hiring of emergency health workers while P4.5 billion for construction of quarantine and isolation facilities and another P13 billion will be allocated for the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.

P5 billion will also be allocated for the contact tracing and P3 billion for the acquisition of personnel protective equipment (PPEs).

The Bayanihan 2 also provides P9.5 billion for the transport industry P24 billion for the agriculture sector and P39.47 billion for the various government financial institutions.

P8.9 billion has been added for the education sector while P13 billion will be dispersed for the assistance of displaced workers. P5,000 to P8,000 social amelioration program (SAP) or emergency subsidy has also been approved to support low-income households in areas under enhanced community quarantine/hard lockdown as well as recently returned OFWs.