Cayetano: House is asking Malacañang for bigger 2021 nat’l budget for COVID-19 response

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is asking the Executive Branch for a bigger national budget for 2021 to be able to address the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) currently affecting the country.

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano revealed on Friday that the government is looking at how much money is needed to pick up the country from the adverse impact of the pandemic as well as how to procure such funds.

Ongoing talks are leaning to dividing the funds for the COVID-19 response in three tranches: first on the proposed Bayanihan 2 law, then the proposed economic stimulus packages, and lastly, a fund allotted in the 2021 national budget.

“Ang debate ngayon is whether how much will be raised for that and how ire-raise? Uutangin ba ito or we will continue sa budget na pwedeng gamitin?” Cayetano told reporters in an interview at Camp Aguinaldo.

“I will tell you now, the House is asking Malacañang not to peg the budget at the 2020 level. Dapat taasan ng kaunti kasi kailangan ng stimulus,” he added.

The House official further revealed that Congress will meet with officials from the Department of Finance (DOF) to “iron out” the funds needed should the Bayanihan 2 passes into law.

House Bill No. 6953, which is a supplemental measure to the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, was not able to pass in third and final reading before the 18th Congress adjourned sine die last June 6.

Under the Bayanihan 2 measure, Filipinos would be provided with various forms of relief during the public health crisis, which include an emergency subsidy to displaced workers, cash-for-work programs, prevention and control of other diseases, support programs for impacted sectors, and support for the agricultural sector.

The bill seeks a P162-billion standby fund which will last until September.

Pending for final approval in the lower chamber is the Accelerated Recovery and Investments Stimulus for the Economy of the Philippines (ARISE Philippines Act), which seeks to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 crisis through a P1.3 trillion economic stimulus package.

Meanwhile, the House approved on final reading a bill that seeks to allocate P1.5 trillion funding for infrastructure projects in priority sectors to stimulate the economy amid widespread unemployment caused by pandemic, or otherwise known as “the COVID-19 Unemployment Reduction Economic Stimulus (CURES) Act of 2020.

/MUF