MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte will urge Congress to call for a special session to pass the proposed stimulus package for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response and recovery efforts or Bayanihan 2.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III informed him that the Executive branch intends to ask the Senate and House of Representatives to convene in a special session after details of the stimulus package have been ironed out.
“Importante naman talaga na ma-renew o ma-extend po ‘yang Bayanihan dahil napakadami pong mga benepisyo gaya ng sa health workers na natigil nung napaso na po itong Bayanihan Act,” Roque said in an interview with Teleradyo.
Roque earlier said the government could only afford a stimulus package worth P140 billion, which is similar to the Senate’s proposal.
The government wanted new funding for testing subsidies and hiring of 50,000 contact tracers, the Palace spokesperson added.
Last week, President Duterte told the Association of Southeast Nations that he would ask Congress to pass measures to boost the Philippines’ response to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, House of Representatives Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said the House is ready to approve the second part of the Bayanihan law to further help the government address the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
“The House leadership under Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano is committed to approve the Bayanihan to Recover as One bill or the Bayanihan II to help President Rodrigo Duterte kickstart our economy and strengthen the government’s fight against the spread of COVID-19,” Romualdez said.
Congress adjourned session last month without passing the bill seeking to extend the validity of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which gave Duterte special powers for three months to effectively tackle the COVID-19 crisis. The law expired on June 25./PN
