Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Thursday welcomed the signing of Republic Act 11519 and RA 11520, which seek to ensure the continued implementation of government services and programs to address the COVID-19 pandemic by extending the effectivity of RA 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act and RA 11465 or the General Appropriations Act of 2020, respectively, until 2021.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed both measures into law on Dec. 29.
“Every single peso counts, especially in times of crisis. Any delay in the implementation of government programs and aid to affected sectors will be detrimental to the country’s path to recovery,” Go said.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte also welcomed Duterte’s signing of the laws extending the validity of unspent funds under both the 2020 General Appropriations Act and Bayanihan 2.
Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said the twin measure’s enactment will let the government further accelerate public spending and speed up the recovery of the economy from the pandemic-induced global economic turmoil.
The Department of Budget and Management had identified P156 billion in unreleased appropriations that were set to be reverted into the National Treasury upon the laws’ expiration in 2020.
To ensure the executive branch’s continued access to the funds in 2021, Go urged Duterte last December to certify the following measures as urgent: House Bill 8063 which extends the effectivity of Bayanihan 2 until June 30, 2021, and H.B. 6656 which extends the availability of the 2020 appropriations until Dec. 31, 2021.
The measures were immediately approved by the House of Representatives on Dec. 14 upon the certification and adopted by the Senate the following day.
With the measures’ enactment, the God reminded concerned agencies to put a stop to any fraudulent and inappropriate practice by strictly ensuring that public funds were spent appropriately and results in services felt by those who needed government attention the most.
He said government services and programs must be adequately financed so that ordinary Filipinos, regardless of their geographic location and socioeconomic status, benefitted from them especially during these challenging times.
Bayanihan 2 expired on Dec. 16, 2020. It augmented the agencies’ initial COVID-19 response-related budgets and sought to strengthen the national healthcare system. It also provided financial relief to individuals and industries facing deep losses from the impact of the pandemic, among other interventions.
Additionally, many government projects under the 2020 GAA, which was set to expire on Dec. 31, 2020, were delayed as a result of the imposition of community quarantine measures.
“We are on a long road towards recovery, and we must still grapple with the economic effects of the global pandemic,” Go said.