Velasco touts Bayanihan 3 approval as ‘historical moment’ in House

SPEAKER LORD ALLAN VELASCO. Photo from the Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives

MANILA, Philippines — The passage of the proposed Bayanihan to Arise As One Act or Bayanihan 3 is a “historical moment” in the House of Representatives, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said Tuesday.

This is because the bill has been co-authored by almost all of the chamber’s members, he said.

Velasco, who is one of the principal authors of the measure, also noted how lawmakers “set aside politics and crossed party lines” to approve the proposed law, which aims to provide further aid to Filipinos who remain saddled by the COVID-19 crisis.

“I am filled with gratitude for the passage of the proposed Bayanihan to Arise As One Act, or Bayanihan 3, in the House of Representatives after my colleagues set aside politics and crossed party lines to unite for a common goal of providing much-needed help to our fellow Filipinos facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said in a statement.

“The approval of Bayanihan 3 is a historical moment in the legislative process in this chamber as this measure has been co-authored by almost all of its members,” he added.

On Tuesday, with 238 affirmative votes, no negative, and one abstention, the lower chamber passed Bayanihan 3, which provides funds amounting to P401 billion.

Velasco said Bayanihan 3 outlines additional interventions to make sure that Filipinos get “direct emergency and social amelioration, have sustainable sources of income, and have stable access to affordable food and quality health services” amid the pandemic.

The proposed law earmarks P216-billion funding for two rounds of cash aid totaling P2,000 to be given to each of 108 million Filipinos regardless of age and economic status.

Velasco said the bill also contains allocations for wage subsidies, emergency assistance to quarantine-affected households, assistance to displaced workers, national nutrition, financial assistance to the agri-fishery sector and cooperatives, medical assistance to indigents, local government support, free COVID-testing for seafarers and other overseas Filipino workers, pension and gratuity fund for retired military and uniformed personnel, and support to basic and higher education.

“We firmly believe that Filipinos deserve all these interventions—urgently and immediately. Bayanihan 3 offers a real lifeline for our countrymen struggling to navigate the challenges of COVID-19,” he said.

KGA