Malacañang on Thursday said that President Rodrigo Duterte and the leaders of the two houses of Congress would convene to talk about the expiring Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2, as well as the proposed Bayanihan 3.

Bayanihan 2 will lapse on June 30

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said about P18 billion of Bayanihan 2’s P165-billion allocation had yet to be used.

Roque said that the unused funds could be realigned to pay health workers and provide them with benefits.

“Posible po na magkaroon ng supplemental funding sa pamamagitan po ng Bayanihan III o ‘di naman kaya, further realignment of the funds intended for Bayanihan II for this purpose. So anything is possible po because Congress has plenary powers of legislation,” he said.

The House of Representatives has greenlighted the P401-billion Bayanihan 3 on third and final reading, which could provide P2,000 financial assistance to every Filipino. John Ezekiel J. Hirro