Bicam agrees to grant P15K to virus-hit medical workers under ‘Bayanihan 2’

Bicameral conference committee meeting on the disagreeing provisions of the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or the Bayanihan 2 bill. Courtesy of Sen. Sonny Angara’s office

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers have agreed to provide a P15,000 cash aid to health care workers who would contract mild coronavirus infection under the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or the Bayanihan 2 bill.

The bicameral conference committee (bicam), led by Senator Sonny Angara and House Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte, held its first meeting on Friday to reconcile the disagreeing provisions of the Senate and House versions of the Bayanihan 2 measure.

Aside from the cash assistance for virus-hit healthcare workers, Angara’s office told reporters that among the provisions agreed upon by the bicam is the one-time cash assistance for teaching and non-teaching personnel in private schools, as well as to part-time faculty members in state universities and colleges.

They also approved the funding for COVID-19 testing and loan condonation for agrarian reform beneficiaries.

The Bayanihan 2 bill lays out the country’s COVID-19 response and recovery plan and allocates funds to help struggling sectors cope up with the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Senate’s version of the measure provides for a P140-billion standby fund while the House of Representatives’ bill contains a P162-billion standby fund.

The two houses of Congress need to reconcile their versions of the measure during the bicam before they transmit it to President Rodrigo Duterte for his signature.

EDV