House panel OKs bill further extending validity of Bayanihan 2

House of Representatives. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on appropriations approved Friday the substitute bill seeking to further extend Bayanihan 2 from June 30, to December 31, this year.

During its online meeting, the committee approved the still unnumbered substitute bill which extends—for the second time—the release, obligation, and disbursement of appropriations provided under Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act, also known as Bayanihan 2.

Bayanihan 2 was originally set to expire on December 19, 2020 but was extended to June 30 this year. But with funds still unused, lawmakers sought to further extend the validity of the measure until December 31, 2021.

In the hearing, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Assistant Secretary Kim Robert de Leon said they have already released the funds allocated for Bayanihan 2 to all the implementing agencies covered by the measure.

As of April 15, this year, the DBM reported a 51.06 percent obligation rate and 70.34 percent disbursement rate among agencies which received Bayanihan 2 funding.

“If we are now dealing with the extension of the availability of funds, this will primarily have an impact on the obligation and disbursement on the part of the agencies. In short on the part of the DBM wala naman po magiging malaking impact ito [this will not have a big impact] as we have already released the appropriations to the agencies,” De Leon said.

“What the extension will afford the national government agencies and the government financial institution is probably some additional leeway to further implement their priority projects to respond to COVID 19 after June 30,” he added.

JPV