Priority ni Speaker: Plenary debates for Bayanihan 3 starts at House

By Billy Begas

The House of Representatives on Monday started the plenary deliberation on the proposed Bayanihan to Arise As One (Bayanihan 3), hours after the substitute bill of the measure was approved on the committee level.

House Committee on Economic Affairs chairperson and AAMBIS-OWA Rep. Sharon Garin said 293 representatives or 98% of the members of the House signed as authors of House Bill 9411.

Bulk of the proposed P405.6 billion Bayanihan 3 was allocated for P2,000 financial assistance to 108 million Filipinos that will be given in two tranches.

Meanwhile, House Committee on Ways and Means chairperson and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda defended the constitutionality of measure, which does not have a certification of fund availability from the Bureau of Treasury.

In his sponsorship speech, Salceda said “The question of presentation of certification of availability of funds is superfluous because the proposal meets the condition that a special appropriations bill be supported by funds … to be raised by a corresponding revenue proposed therein.”

Salceda said the proposal can be funded by additional direct provisional advances from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, increasing the dividends remitted by Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) to the national government, and giving the President the power to withdraw overcapitalization of GOCCs.

He also emphasized that borrowing can be used to fund the package.

“Our people are not yet on dry land, despite the progress we are making on vaccination and therapeutics. This pandemic is far from over. They need our help, and they need a lifesaver,” Salceda said.

Salceda said “Bayanihan 3 is a bridge to the vaccine and the reopening of the economy, but we need this bridge to get there.”

House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez appealed to the Senate to consider the immediate passage of Bayanihan 3.

“We need Bayanihan 3 to help ensure that the economy recovers quickly from the coronavirus disease-19-induced crisis in a strong, sustainable, and resilient manner,” Romualdez said.

Romualdez is confident that the House will approve the measure before its sine die adjournment on June 5.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)