(Eagle News) – The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill 6953, the so-called Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, also known as Bayanihan 2 that sought to give additional powers for government to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lower House overwhelmingly voted to approve the bill on Monday, Aug. 10, with 242 affirmative votes and only six negative votes.
But lawmakers who explained their vote expressed apprehension that the P162 billion as contained in the bill to provide additional funds to help the country’s economy was not enough to address various needs that arose out of the continuing rampage of the virus pandemic.
House Bill 6953 is defined as “an act providing for COVID19 response and recovery internventions and providing mechanisms to accelerate recovery and bolster the resiliency of the Philipine economy.”
After the voting, some lawmakers explained their votes.
-Lawmakers worried P162-B funds not enough-
House Minority Leader Rep. Bienvenido “Benny”Abante Jr., said that the P162 billion was not enough “considering that the effectivity of the measure is until December 31.”
“I am praying and hoping that this pandemic will not last until December,” he said.
Quezon City Rep. Kit Belmonte said he also voted for the Bayanihan 2 bill “with much hesitation” as he expressed his apprehension that the amount of P162 bill is not enough.
“I hesitate not because I feel that it should not be passed, but because I feel that it is not enough,” he said.
Belmonte cited the ARISE Bill which proposes an infusion of P708 billion for this year alone to protect small and medium scale enterprises, other jobs, and the economy.
In fact, House Bill 6815, or the Accelerated Recovery and Investments Stimulus for the Economy (ARISE) which was approved on third and final reading in early June, projected a budget of P1.3 trillion for three years.
“The Bayanihan 2 on the other hand only provides for a budget of P162 billion, which is way below the proposed amount in the ARISE bill,” Belmonte said.
“It is unfortunate that our financial managers are only willing to allot this little to protect our economy.”
But Belmonte said that this is “still better than nothing.”
“Having said that while I am not too satisfied with the package being offered, it is still better than nothing,” he said.
(Eagle News Service)