Duterte admin unveils P27.1-B package for COVID-19

The Duterte administration unveiled a PHP27.1-billion package on Monday to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Research group IBON criticized the fund as merely repackaging existing government programs and 'grossly disproportionate' to the emergency.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that the PHP14-billion allocation for tourism support would span three years, with the industry hardest hit by the outbreak.

The package includes PHP3 billion from DOLE, PHP2.8 billion from DA, PHP1 billion from DTI, and PHP1.2 billion from SSS.

PHP3.1 billion will be used to purchase test kits and other efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.