GOVERNMENT agencies can still use the P165-billion fund under the Bayanihan to Recover as One (Bayanihan 2) even after the legislation expires by December.
Malacañang made the assurance on Tuesday after some lawmakers proposed extending the effectivity of Bayanihan 2 beyond December 19, 2020.
“I don’t think the spending [of the fund] is subject to expiration of the law since it is already appropriated and is just about to be released,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing on Tuesday.
Proof of obligation
Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado confirmed this.
“The projects may not all be finished by December 19, so what is needed is [to ensure] that the funds must be properly obligated,” Avisado said.
He said the concerned agencies must be able to present the necessary Notice of Award and Notice to Proceed as basis of the said obligation of the Bayanihan 2 fund.
Unobligated Bayanihan 2 budget will automatically revert to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTR) after Bayanihan 2 expires.
Pending release
As of Friday, the DBM had released over P5.33 billion of allotments under Bayanihan 2.
These include the following agencies: Department of Foreign Affairs (P820 million); Department of National Defense (P855 million) and to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (P2.52 billion); other Executive Offices—Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (P28.37 million); and Department of Public Works and Highways (P994.75 million);
The DBM also released P110.87 million to the Department of Finance-BTR for local government units to cover the augmentation of their Assistance-to-Nationals Fund.
Currently, Roque said there is also a pending release of P6 billion to the Department of Social Welfare and Development and P8 billion to the Department of Labor and Employment.
He said both will be released upon the approval of the Office of the President.