President Rodrigo Duterte will report monthly to Congress on his administration’s use of P165.5 billion in Covid-19 response and recovery funding under the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” or Bayanihan 2.
Duterte signed the measure into law Friday. Bayanihan 2 consists of P140 billion in regular appropriations and P25.5 billion in standby funding.
“As the Duterte administration remains committed in the promotion and upholding of accountability and transparency, especially on public expenditure, a monthly report will be duly submitted to the Congress until December 2020,” Palace communications chief Martin Andanar said in a statement.
Bayanihan 2 is effective until Dec. 19.
In a statement, Duterte spokesman Harry Roque said Bayanihan 2 was “crucial” in improving the country’s pandemic response and reviving the economy.
“We consider the Bayanihan 2 crucial in our efforts to gradually re-open the economy, support businesses and revitalize growth as we make our country resilient to Covid-19 by strengthening our health sector, particularly our healthcare capacity and pandemic response,” he said.
The P140 billion in regular appropriations under Bayanihan 2 allots budgets for the government’s cash-for-work programs, the hiring of emergency human resources for health, the construction of isolation facilities, capital infusions into government banks, allowance for national athletes and coaches, and subsidies for students, among others.
Meanwhile, the P25.5 billion standby fund will be utilized for Covid-19 testing, medication and vaccine procurement and additional capital infusion to Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines. John Ezekiel J. Hirro