BUDGET is not an issue for now as the country continues its efforts to defeat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its other adverse impact on Filipinos, some senators said Tuesday.
“Hindi pa nga ginagalaw ‘yung 2020 GAA (General Appropriations Act) except the usual first quarter expenditures. Life is most important, money can be restored later,” Sotto said in a message to reporters.
“Government can solve the needs for funds,” he added.
Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act gives authority to President Rodrigo Duterte to realign available government budget to augment the ongoing COVID-19 response.
Senator Panfilo Lacson likewise said there are other sources of funds other than the P275 billion that Congress and their counterparts in the executive branch initially identified for emergency aid to low-income households.
“I remember during our caucus with the Cabinet secretaries before we went to plenary to pass [RA] 11469, Secretary [Carlos Dominguez III of ] DOF informed us of a $100m grant from the ADB and a World Bank standby loan for COVID-19 that may be tapped aside from the latest available P275 billion from untapped and unused GOCC’s funds,” Lacson said.
“That, plus the unused appropriations of several agencies which Secretary [Wendel Avisado of] DBM roughly estimated at P600 billion. That’s from the 2019 GAA,” he added.
Lacson underscored that more than the availability of funds, the bigger challenge is in the rollout or distribution of the assistance.
The national identification system could solve the issue on the discrepancies in the database, according to Sotto.
On Monday night, Duterte said that P275 billion is not enough for COVID-19 relief efforts.
“The 100 billion pesos for one month or the 270 billion pesos for two months ‘yan naka-program na as earlier estimated is not enough,” Duterte said.
“I’m calling on the Secretary of Finance to generate. Magnakaw ka, maghiram ka, wala akong pakialam, i-produce mo ‘yung pera kasi ‘pag naubos na ito… Hindi ko malaman,” he added.(GMA News)
