Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Bayanihan to Heal as One Act signed into law, providing up to Php8k subsidy per family

In an emergency session of the Senate and House of Representatives the other night, the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act has been officially signed into law by Pres. Duterte. This law aims to fight the COVID-19 pandemic by providing the President with additional authority during the national state of calamity for the next 3 months.

Aside from additional authority given to the President, the highlight of this law is the monthly Php5,000 to Php8,000 emergency subsidy for the 18 million Filipino families affected, good for two months.

It also provides for a Php100,000 compensation for all health workers who may contract a severe COVID-19 infection while in the line of duty while another Php1 million will be given to families with a member dying from the pandemic.

Here are the other main points of this new law:

Implement measures to prevent or minimize, suppress further transmission and spread of COVID-19 thru effective education, detection, protection and treatment.
Expedite medical testing and observation of PUIs and PUMs as well as treatment of patients infected by the SARs-COV-2 virus.
Ensure LGUs are in line with IATF guidelines.
Direct the operations of any privately-owned hospitals, medical and health facilities, including passenger vehicles and other establishments to house health workers and serve as quarantine areas.
Enforce measures against profiteering, hoarding, price manipulation, product deceptions, cartels, monopolies, and other pernicious activities affecting the supply, distribution, and movement of food, medical supplies and other goods.
Ensure donation acceptance and distribution of health products are not delayed.

This also gives authority to the President by excepting it from the Procurement Law which requires public bidding that delays the process of buying important goods, equipment, and construction of facilities.

The full copy of Senate Bill 1418 (which was adopted by the House) that was signed into law can be downloaded here.

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