House panel extends Bayanihan 2 validity until June

On Friday, December 11, the House Committee on Appropriations approved a bill extending the validity of Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) until June 30, 2021.

The extension aims to allow the government to continue its programs and efforts in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Originally set to expire on December 19, the bill would give President Duterte more time to realign budgets for the country's pandemic response.

Despite reservations from some representatives about the release of funds, Assistant Secretary Rolando Toledo reported that P102 billion out of a total P165 billion has been released under Bayanihan 2.