House begins plenary debates on Bayanihan 3

The plenary hall of the House of Representatives. (Photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines —  The House of Representatives has started plenary debates on the proposed Bayanihan 3, which aims to provide more aid to Filipinos still burdened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This developed after a substitute bill of Bayanihan 3 gained the approval of the House committee on economic affairs and House committee on social services on Monday morning,

One of its key sponsors, AAMBIS-OWA party-list Rep. Sharon Garin, said 98 percent of the chamber —  or 293 of the 300 lawmakers — have signed as authors of House Bill No. 9411, the consolidated version of the proposed Bayanihan to Arise as One or Bayanihan 3.

READ: Bayanihan 3 ready to be tackled on House plenary floor

“It is such a privilege to present to you what we have come up with in Bayanihan 3. We have the main feature of Bayanihan 3 where we will give P1,000 to each and every Filipino, ayuda for all and that is what we call Kalinga,” Garin said.

“Following that, we have Kabuhayan which is livelihood and we are providing P8 billion for wage subsidies, TUPAD or any assistance of DOLE at P10 billion,” she added.

According to Garin, P12 billion was earmarked for households affected by COVID-19 while P400 million was allotted to give assistance to overseas Filipino workers and seafarers.

Meanwhile, another proponent of the bill, Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, stressed the record levels of unemployment and hunger caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proposed measure, according to Quimbo, is intended to provide relief to those who had been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Ang Bayanihan 3 ay nakatutok sa pinaka agarang problema, ang ayuda ay strategized, at planado kung saan ibubuhos: sa mga pinaka nangangailangan ng tulong. Tulong para lamang makatawid, isang lifeline ika nga,” said Quimbo.

(Bayanihan 3 focuses on the most immediate problem. The aid is strategized, and it focuses its efforts on those most in need of help. This is why it’s called a lifeline.)

She continued to say that a Bayanihan Council would be formed to oversee the implementation of the proposed law.

“Through this Council, we will guarantee that fund utilization is efficient and leakages are minimized in providing [aid] to our countrymen,” Quimbo said.

“Marami tayong natutunan sa (We have learned a lot from the) SAP implementation. The primary goal is to ensure that our learnings from the implementation of the previous stimulus laws are put to good use,” she added.

On the other hand, Albay Rep. and committee on ways and means chair Joey Salceda said he believes that the Bayanihan 3 is more “fiscally responsible” in contrast to previous supplemental funding proposals.

“The proposal works harder to meet the fiscal costs of new spending one-to-one than the 2006 supplemental appropriations, as it at the very least attempts to be as close to deficit-neutral as possible,” he said.

He then countered doubts on why the bill was approved at the House committee on appropriations without a certification of available funds from the Bureau of the Treasury – which is required under the 1987 Constitution.

The country’s main charter dictates that  “a special appropriations bill shall specify the purpose for which it is intended, and shall be supported by funds actually available as certified by the National Treasurer, or to be raised by a corresponding revenue proposed therein.”

“The question of presentation of the certification of availability of funds is superfluous because the proposal meets the condition that a special appropriations bill be supported by funds to be raised by a corresponding revenue proposed therein,” Salceda explained in his sponsorship speech.

Lastly, Quezon City 5th Dist. Rep. Alfred Vargas, who also sits as chair of the House social services panel, said that the bill is part of Congress’s sworn duty as “the people’s representatives” to come up with immediate and effective solutions that will help in the country’s recovery from the health crisis.

He, along with the other proponents, then called on his colleagues in the lower chamber as well as those in the Senate to support the measure and free Filipinos “from the clutches of this disabling pandemic.”

Under Bayanihan 3, financial assistance of at least P1,000 shall be provided for each and every Filipino, regardless of social status.

It likewise seeks to provide wage subsidies, assistance to displaced workers, housing relief, assistance to the agri-fishery sector, medical assistance, and support to basic education.

The proposed law also aims to help pandemic-affected households through a one-time cash subsidy program worth P5,000 to P10,000, which shall be carried out by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.