Bayanihan 2 approved on final reading

MANILA, Philippines — Voting 262-6, the House of Representatives approved yesterday on third and final reading the Bayanihan 2 or the “We Recover as One Act,” providing a P162-billion fund for government to carry out a roadmap for economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We want Bayanihan 2 to be a living piece of legislation that will power our industries and revitalize sectors of society that have been decimated by this virus, or were otherwise forgotten and neglected in the past,” Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said of House Bill 6953.

In a speech, the Taguig-Pateros congressman said the measure is a “huge first step” to economic recovery.

“At the end of the day, it is more than just an enumeration of benefits, or an aggregation of budgets to help those of our kababayans who need it most,” he said.

Majority Leader Martin Romualdez and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the ways and means committee, likewise lauded the expeditious approval of the bill, a priority measure of President Duterte.

“The House leadership is extending its gratitude to our colleagues for responding to the call of President Duterte to pass the COVID-19 roadmap for economic recovery,” said Romualdez, a congressman from Leyte and chairman of the House committee on rules.

The measure “will help restore the public trust and confidence in social and economic institutions,” which is most needed by the country now in a recession, he said.

“This, hopefully, begins to turn the economic tides for the better. This will not be the beginning of the end. Certainly, until we have a vaccine, we cannot let our guard down,” Salceda said.

“Once the President signs this bill into law, we will unlock billions for new relief measures and hundreds of billions in new credit for businesses in need. Bayanihan 2 also has provisions that will protect our frontliners,” he added.