Congress eyeing legislative calendar adjustment

MANILA, Philippines — Congress is considering moving its calendar this year amid government measures against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano bared yesterday.

Cayetano revealed that the leaderships of both the House of Representatives and the Senate are in talks and looking into the possibility of adjusting the legislative calendar following the six-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Both chambers are currently on a seven-week Lenten break and set to resume session on May 4 – a recess almost simultaneous with the implementation of quarantine.

“All of us are grappling with what will be the new normal, or do we go back on May 4 or do virtual session for the meantime. That’s being discussed. But let me assure you, we will do whatever is best for the nation, however, way we can help,” Cayetano explained.

The Speaker said the Senate leadership has already communicated such plan two weeks ago through Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri, who himself contracted the disease but has recovered.

“If ever we move the calendar so that we can be more responsible and practice social distancing... we will tackle that week by week,” he said.

But if Congress decides not to adjust its calendar, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said they are ready to resume session on May 4.

“We are already doing everything we can to fast-track so that when we are supposed to resume on May 4, we will hit the ground running and we’ll be ready to tackle and already implement all our initiatives,” he stressed.

Congress had convened in special session during its break last month to pass the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act that declared a national emergency and granted President Duterte special powers to better combat the pandemic, including the authority to realign P275 billion in funds of the executive branch in this year’s national budget.

Cayetano said the legislative branch is ready to conduct another special session during the break, if necessary, to further address the needs of the government in its fight against COVID-19.

He pointed out that the House continues to work while on recess through its Defeat COVID-19 Committee (DCC), which was created to perform congressional oversight functions on the programs and actions taken by the executive branch.

Last Tuesday, the DCC’s sub-committee on economy tackled and approved the proposed economic stimulus measure to mitigate the impact of the crisis on the country’s economy.

Reps. Stella Quimbo of Marikina City and Joey Salceda of Albay both proposed an economic stimulus package to aid both small and big businesses and their workers after the implementation of the quarantine.

During the digital hearing, the panel voted to approve the measure and consolidate the proposals of the two economist-lawmakers into a bill to be submitted to DCC.

Quimbo, a UP economist and professor, proposed a P370-billion program to enable industries in the country to continue their operations that are severely affected by government measures against COVID-19.

The measure seeks to allocate P110 billion to all companies to cover wage subsidies of workers during the ECQ period, P130 billion for interest-free loans and P10 billion in loan guarantees.

It also proposes to allot P119 billion for business resilience improvement programs by the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Tourism and Board of Investments.

Lastly, Quimbo’s proposal seeks an allocation of P1 billion to pay for sick leaves of COVID patients through Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System.

“The objective is to ensure continuity of businesses and keep workers in their companies as well as their salaries,” she explained.

Salceda agreed to the need for a fiscal stimulus package, but offered an alternative measure.

The ways and means committee chairman has proposed a P630-billion stimulus package that he said would save the Philippine economy from a freefall.

Salceda sought allocation of P345.66 billion for programs in the “survival stage,” including the P200-billion emergency subsidy program being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Department of Labor and Employment.

For the “transitional stage,” he proposed an allocation of P284.4 billion for programs, including wage subsidies, temporary loan bridging by government financial institutions and creation of an enterprise rehabilitation fund.