President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is expecting the approval of the special powers granted to him, known as Bayanihan To Heal program, to combat the Covid-19 health emergency for another three months or up to September 30.
Duterte’s first special power was granted on March 24,2020 which ended in May.
The House of Representatives has approved while the Senate which will end its session on June 5 has to set a special session to approve the new special power to President Duterte.
There will be a 162-billion pesos standby fund allocated to address the financial support needed by the various sectors during the pandemic.
As reported by PNA,the standby fund includes 12 billion pesos for the procurement of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and extraction kits; 18 billion pesos for the implementation of the cash-for-work program; 5 billion pesos for the implementation of the Assistance to individuals in Crisis Situation Progaam; 21 billion pesos for the unemployment or involuntary separation assistance for displaced workers; and 50 billion pesos for the infusion of capital to government financial institutions.
Added to the funding is the financial assistance for affected sectors: 21 billion for agriculture; 21 billion for the transportation industry; 10 billion for tourism; and 4 billion for the education sector.
Although various regions in the Philippines have many changes in the community quarantine classifications, and the return to the new normal especially in the Metro Manila which is now under the GCQ, the continuous battling of Covid-19 demands more government’s financial support.
