Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan
MANILA, Philippines — The government must obligate the P173 billion allotted under the Bayanihan 2 law before it expires on June 30, according to Sen. Francis Pangilinan.
Pangilinan on Sunday said the government needed to hasten its inoculation to achieve its target herd immunity of 70 million Filipinos before the end of 2021.
He said the government should conduct 700,000 jabs a day to achieve the promised herd immunity before the year ends, adding that the country’s economic recovery relied heavily on the government’s vaccine rollout.
He pointed out that while the Department of Health was seeking for an additional P66 billion for COVID-19, data from the Department of Finance showed that at least P73 billion, or over a fourth of COVID-19 funds under the Bayanihan 2, or the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act, remained unspent.
“Government agencies need to shape up because with this big amount, they can do a lot to ease the difficulties of Filipinos impacted by the pandemic. It’s a sin to have this much money and be sluggish in acting,” he said in a statement.
Pangilinan earlier filed a bill to extend anew the availability of COVID-19 funds under the Bayanihan 2 until Dec. 31.
The House of Representatives on June 3 passed on second reading a bill to further extend the validity of Bayanihan 2 funds but failed to pass it on third reading before it adjourned.In a separate statement, Sen. Panfilo Lacson pushed for a fiscal discipline for economic recovery, which he said might entail a “barebones” national budget for at least the next three years.
Lacson issued the call after London-based think tank Fitch Solutions said the Philippine peso might weaken over the long haul.
“We can’t go on borrowing while wasting money on corruption and incompetence. ‘Barebones’ implies not sacrificing essentials, including budget for economic recovery. It also includes fiscal discipline,” he said. INQ