MANILA, Philippines — A bill seeking to extend the effectivity of the law giving President Rodrigo Duterte additional powers to address the coronavirus crisis for another three months has been filed in the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri filed Senate Bill 1546, which seeks to extend the validity of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act until September 30.
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“Despite claims of flattening the curve, there is sustained local community transmission as more cases are reported daily. It is apparent that the country is far from seeing the end to this extraordinary situation and the threat to life and livelihood persists,” Zubiri, a COVID-19 survivor, said in the bill's explanatory note.
Zubiri said the extension will allow Duterte “to continue to exercise the realignment of items in the national budget and other powers granted to him under the said law to be able to provide emergency support for vulnerable groups and individuals, expand medical resources to fight COVID-19, and finance emergency initiatives to keep the economy afloat.”
Approved in a special session last May 23, the Bayanihan Act granted the president authority for three months to realign funds to distribute emergency cash aid to the poor and those who were left jobless by the pandemic, and impose stiffer penalties for local officials refusing to comply with emergency measures.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Wednesday the upper chamber will extend the law for another three months. He also said the extension will be done before Congress adjourns on June 3.
A similar measure seeking to extend the validity of the Bayanihan Act until September was proposed by Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro City) at the lower chamber.
Malacañang said the proposed three-month extension is “ideal.”
The Philippines reported 380 new cases Wednesday—the biggest single-day increase since April 6. This pushed the nation’s tally to 15,049. — Gaea Katreena Cabico