Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 6) – President Rodrigo Duterte assured the public the government is properly spending the funds allocated for the government’s COVID-19 response.
“Ito namang pera ng Bayanihan Act, I assure you, that it was spent wisely, it was spent according to rules. At sinigurado ko ‘yan at the start. Wala hong ano diyan, sindikato. Wala hong, sabihin mo na may nakawan,” Duterte said during the weekly Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases meeting on Monday.
[Translation: The money allocated in the Bayanihan Act, I assure you, that it was spent wisely, it was spent according to rules. And I assure you, I made sure from the start. There is no syndicate there. There is no corruption.]
The Bayanihan to Heal As One Act or Bayanihan 1 was signed by Duterte in March which granted Duterte additional powers to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The national government realigned around ₱275-billion from the 2020 national budget to focus on their efforts to defeat the virus.
When the Bayanihan 1 expired in June, legislators crafted the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act or Bayanihan 2 that will aid the country’s economic recovery amid the pandemic. Duterte signed the ₱165.5-billion Bayanihan 2 into law in September.
The President’s first report on the implementation of Bayanihan 2 revealed that about ₱18 billion in grants have been released to local government units for their local COVID-19 efforts.
Duterte also hinted of a Bayanihan 3 to further support the country’s recovery from the pandemic.
“We will be careful with the next round of Bayanihan. There’s still money to be, well, given to the people, to the poor, especially,” the President added in his speech.
READ: ₱18-B in Bayanihan grants released to LGUs in fight vs COVID-19
