The House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations on Tuesday approved a P1.6-billion supplemental budget to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease.
Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, committee on health chairperson, filed House Bill No. 6166 that would augment the budget requirements of the Department of Health for the procurement of surgical masks for patients under investigation and personal protective equipment for health workers.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said he has advised ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Eric Go to go to Malacañang to get a certificate of urgency so Congress could pass the supplemental budget and “finish it tomorrow [Wednesday].”
“If the President calls for a special session, we will do so because there is really a concern,” he said.
Deputy Treasurer Sharon Almanza lamented the Bureau of Treasury did not have the sufficient amount needed, saying they only have P1.65 billion in excess income.
“Congress will be having a break in a few days and therefore it is important that this bill be finalized today [Tuesday] because the remaining day left for us is tomorrow [Wednesday],” Quirino Rep. Junie Cua said.
“Under that circumstance, it seems that the most expedient to do is make do with [this amount] and find out from the Department of Budget and Management or maybe from Department of Health whether there are other sources of funds to augment the requirement of this bill,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Congress’ secretary-general, lawyer Jose Luis Montales, refuted reports that a room in one of the older buildings of the Batasan Complex had been locked down due to COVID-19 threat.
“It’s not true that a room in Mitra is on a lockdown,” he said in a text message.
The DOH needs a total of PHP3.1 billion to procure personal protective equipment, 40,000 test kits, as well as funding for the maintenance and other operating expenses and salaries for the Bureau of Quarantine.
Health Undersecretary Roger Tong-an said the DOH can source the remaining funds needed, particularly: PHP2 billion from Philippine Amusement Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), PHP420 million from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and PHP81 million from the DOH’s quick response fund and savings.
Budget Undersecretary Janet Abuel, meanwhile, said the government can also source the money from the 13-billion contingency fund and PHP7.5-billion national disaster risk reduction and management fund.