Angara prods agencies to ramp up Bayanihan 2 spending as expiry looms

Senator Sonny Angara on Wednesday prodded the agencies tasked to implement the provisions of the Bayanihan to Recover as One law (Bayanihan 2) to act with more urgency in utilizing the funds allocated to them as the June 30 expiration of the law approaches.

With just a week left before Republic Act 11519 or the law extending the availability of appropriations under Bayanihan 2 lapsees, the chair of the Senate finance committee said there is very little time left for the implementing agencies (IAs) to utilize these funds, which have been allocated since September last year.

“May ilang bilyon pa ang pondong hindi pa nagagamit sa Bayanihan 2. Ang extension ng Bayanihan 2 funds ay hanggang June 30 lang kaya dapat paspasan na nila ang pag disburse ng mga pondo,” Angara said.

Data from the Department of Budget and Management as of May 18 shows that out of the P165.5 billion of funds appropriated under Bayanihan 2, P60.9 billion has yet to be obligated by the IAs.

There are six IAs or programs with obligation rates below 50 percent and two that are below 10 percent.

For most of the funds that will expire on June 30, Angara said these will revert to the National Treasury.

“Congress acted with urgency in passing Bayanihan 2 in order to address the urgent needs of the different sectors affected by the Covid-19 pandemic,” Angara said.

“We owe it to our Kababayans who are in dire need of assistance to act just as swiftly especially now with just a few days left in the Bayanihan 2 extension law,” he said.

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