Malacañang announced that President Rodrigo Duterte was able to exhaust all the emergency powers granted to him by Congress in his administration’s response to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
With barely a month before the expiration of Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Duterte did his best to respond to the crisis brought about by the Covid-19 outbreak, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual presser aired on state-run PTV-4.
“Sa tingin ko po, kahit kailan pa yung date ng expiration ng Bayanihan Act, nagamit naman po ang lahat ng special powers na binigay sa ating Presidente, Roque said.
[I think, the President was able to use all his special powers granted to him even before the date of expiration of Bayanihan Act.]
RA 11469, passed by Congress on March 24, granted Duterte additional powers for a limited time to boost his administration in combating Covid-19.
The law takes effect for three months, unless extended by Congress.
“We have exercised all the powers given to the President. Una po diyan (One of the emergency powers used by Duterte is) the power to realign the budget. Na-realign na po natin iyan (We were able to realign the budget),” he said.
Aome PHP150 billion from the budget items of the executive branch would be realigned to augment the funding for Covid-19 response.
Roque said Duterte also used his special power to expedite the procurement of sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies for front-liners battling Covid-19.
“Pagdating po sa procurement, meron na po tayong kumbaga, stockpile ng PPE at na-order na rin po yung mga ibang kailangan natin kasama na po ang mga ventilator (When it comes to procurement, we now have the stockpile of PPE and we are able to purchase all the medical equipment we need, including ventilators),” he said.
Under RA 11469, Duterte is allowed to provide cash aid worth PHP5,000 to PHP8,000 to 18 million poor families for April and May, realign the national budget to fund Covid-19 response measures, and procure PPE sets and other supplies for front-line health workers.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez is expected to file a bill extending the effectivity of this law.
Rodriguez said the end of Covid-19 pandemic is “not yet in sight” two months after the effectivity of RA 11469.
