Romualdez: Give Bayanihan 3 a chance
HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez on Monday renewed his appeal for senators to give Bayanihan 3 a chance.
In an interview over ANC’s Headstart, Romualdez reiterated that Bayanihan 3 will continue to help Filipinos battle the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Perhaps the Senate could give it a second look,” Romualdez said.
Bayanihan 3 provides a P404-billion stimulus package to those sectors affected by the pandemic.
The proposed law includes the financial aid of P2,000 per Filipino which the House of Representatives has already approved before its adjournment sine die adjournment.
“We feel that it will be very important, not only in the extension of the Bayanihan 1 and 2 but we feel that the Ayuda programs that this Bayanihan 3 would seek to address can also give the administration of the President and the Executive more latitude in the distribution of social amelioration programs a better effect all throughout,” Romualdez said.
Bayanihan 3 also seeks to help the country’s economy recover from the COVID-19-pandemic.
While admitting that funding sources is an issue and concern, Romualdez said it could be addressed considerably.
“We also were maybe a bit ambitious in the eyes of the Senate and the Executive because we contemplated a P400 billion fund. We are hopeful that some considerations will be given to this measure that we pass almost unanimously,” Romualde added.
The House of Representatives has already passed Bayanihan 3 before its sine die adjournment on June 5. The Senate, however, was not able to approve its version of the measure before the break.
On June 24, President Rodrigo Duterte met with some leaders and members of the Senate and the House to discuss Bayanihan 3 as well as the extension of validity of the Bayanihan to Recover As One or Bayanihan 2.
