-President Duterte to make sure funds are used properly
(Eagle News) — Malacanang has detailed the allocations for the P165.5 billion stimulus package under Bayanihan 2 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act that includes a P25.5 billion standby fund which would be used to buy COVID-19 test kits, medicines, and vaccines against the virus.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the funds would help the Philippine economy recover amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Mataas po ang ating kumpiyansa na malaki ang maitutulong ng Bayanihan II sa muling pagbangon ng ating ekonomiya,” he said in a press briefing.
Roque explained that of the P165.5 billion stimulus package in Bayanihan 2, the P140 billion would be coming from regular appropriations while the P25.5 billion standby fund would be coming from savings and unused funds.
-P25.5 billion standby fund to be used for COVID tests, vaccines, medicines-
“Kasama sa P25.5 billion na standby fund ay ang paglaan ng P10 billion para sa COVID testing at pagbili ng gamot at bakuna kontra COVID-19,” he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte has earlier said that both China and Russia have offered to provide the COVID-19 vaccines they are developing to help the country fight the pandemic.
He said that the country would buy the vaccines which would be given for free to the poorest of the poor.
Duterte has also assured the public that he would account for how the funds earmarked to address the pandemic would be used.
“And let — gusto kong ipaalam sa lahat that as upon my oath of office huwag kayong mag-alala lahat ng pera diyan nagastos dito sa away ng COVID ay maa-account. I will hold myself responsible for this sole and solemn duty of answering for and in behalf of the Executive department of all the funds that were spent in the fight against COVID,” he said in his address to the Filipino nation on Monday night, Aug. 24.
“I am asking the National Task Force for COVID-19 to properly report on how all the funds were spent and their intended purpose,” he said.
-Breakdown for P140 billion fund from regular appropriations-
Roque said that the breakdown of the P140 billion package would be as follows:
-P13.5 billion for the health related responses;
-P3 billion for the purchase of face masks,PPEs, shoe covers and face shields;
-P4.5 billion for the construction of temporary medical isolation and quarantine facilities, field hospitals, dormitories and for the expansion of government hospital capacity;
-P13 billion for the cash-for-work program and other support programs;
-P39.472 billion as capital infusion for government banks for loans: 5 billion for the Philippine Guarantee Corporation; P18.4725 billion for the LandBank of the Philippines; P6 billion for the Development Bank of the Philippines; P10 billion for the Department of Trade and Industry’s Small Business Corporation or Medium and Small Scale industries/cooperatives; hospitals, OFWs and tourism;
-P24 billion assistance for agriculture particularly for the “Plant, Plant, Plant” initiative of the Department of Agriculture;
-P9.5 billion assistance for the transport sector;
-P100 million subsidies and training for tour guides;
-P3 billion for the assistance and development of smart campuses in state universities and colleges;
-P600 million subsidies and allowances for qualified students
-P300 million aubaidies and allowances for displaced teaching and non-teaching personnel;
-P1 billion additional scholarship funds for the Technical Skills and Development Auhtority (TESDA);
-P6 billion for programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
-P4 billion for Digital Education Information Technology and digital infrastructures and alternative learning modalities of the Department of Education (DepEd) for blended learning;
-P1.5 billion assistance for local government units
-P180 million allowances for national athletes and coaches;
-P820 million assistance for overseas Filipinos under the Department of Foreign Affairs;
-P4 billion for the tourism industry;
-P4.5 billion for the construction and maintenance of isolation facilities and other requirements like hotel billings, food, transportation of COVID-19 patients under the Office of Civil Defense or the National Task Force;
-P5 billion for contact tracers;
-P2.5 million for the Professional Regulation Commission computer-based licensure examinations;
-P2 billion to subsidize payment for interest of new and existing loans of LGUSs in LandBank and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP);
-P10 million for COVID-19 research; and
-P15 million for the establishment of computational research laboratory of UP Diliman Institute of Mathematics. This is for the processiong of big data analysis for COVID-19 and other pandemic research.
Roque assured the public that each centavo would be accounted for, and that the funds would used to help those severely affected by the pandemic.
“Makakaasa ang taumbayan na bawat sentimo ay mabibilang at magagamit po sa tama. Ito po ay makakarating sa taong lubhang apektado ng COVID-19 at mga sektor na tinamaan ng pandemya,” he said.
The proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or the “Bayanihan 2” is just awaiting President Duterte’s signature to become law after the House of Representatives ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the measure. The Senate ratified the bill on August 20.
(Eagle News Service)
