BusinessWorld Online
Funding package of P1.65B for Covid-19 approved in committee
A House panel has approved a P1.65 billion supplemental budget to support the government's response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The funding package was approved upon the motion of Representative Ruwel Peter S. Gonzaga, removing a provision that set a December 31 deadline for spending, making the funds available until fully disbursed.
The panel consolidated House Bills 6166 and 6177, which initially sought over P2 billion for the Department of Health (DOH).
However, the National Treasury confirmed only P1.65 billion in excess funds was available for realignment, as stated by Deputy Treasurer Sharon P. Almanza.
The DOH requires a total of P3.1 billion for its COVID-19 response, including P2.35 billion for personal protective equipment (PPE), P933 million for the Bureau of Quarantine's maintenance and other operating expenses, and P139 million for 40,000 test kits for the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), according to Health Undersecretary Roger P. Tong-an.
Topics in this story
Explore more stories about these topics.
🤖
This story was generated by AI to help you understand the key points. For more detailed coverage, please see the news articles from trusted media outlets below.
News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) will provide additional funds to augment the government's response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Read more →
Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go favors a special session to approve a supplemental budget for the COVID-19 response, echoing the Senate minority bloc's call.
+1
Read more →
The House of Representatives is on standby for a special session to approve a P1.6 billion supplemental budget for the Department of Health's (DOH) COVID-19 response.
Read more →
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go assured the public that the Philippine government has sufficient funds to combat the COVID-19 crisis and support the Department of Health (DOH) and other agencies.
Read more →
The Philippines will receive a $3-million grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to purchase emergency medical supplies and equipment for its COVID-19 response.
Read more →