Senate approves extension of funding under 2020 budget, Bayanihan 2

The Senate approved on Tuesday, December 15, measures to extend the availability of P148 billion in unspent funds under the 2020 national budget and the Bayanihan 2 laws.

Senators unanimously voted for House Bill (HB) 8063 extending the validity of appropriations under Bayanihan 2 until June 30, 2021, and HB 6656 doing the same for the 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA) until December 31, 2021.

Without these bills, the funds would have reverted to the National Treasury on December 19, 2020, for Bayanihan 2 and December 31, 2020, for the GAA.

Senator Sonny Angara stated that the extension would allow government agencies to maximize around P156 billion in unspent funds next year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on project implementation.