Bayanihan
I and II
Bayanihan I or Republic Act 11469 was signed into law on 23 March 2020 (also known by its short title as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act) declaring a national health emergency throughout the Philippines as a result of the COVID-19 situation.
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The law gave the President some emergency powers (for three months) to optimize efforts in the pandemic response. The law has eight policy objectives, which includes:
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mitigating the transmission of the virus;
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mobilizing the provision of basic necessities to families and individuals affected by the imposition of the community quarantine;
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undertaking measures to prevent overburdening the healthcare system;
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immediately and aptly providing healthcare to those affected by the virus;
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providing recovery and rehabilitation in the form of social amelioration and provision of safety nets to all affected sectors;
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ensuring sufficient, adequate, and readily available funding (including reprogramming, reallocating, and realigning savings from the 2020 budget);
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partnering with the private sector and other stakeholders to deliver measures and programs quickly and efficiently; and
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promoting and protecting the collective interests of Filipinos.
The Bayanihan Act expired on 25 June and the Office of the President requested the two Houses of Congress to pass a second Bayanihan law focused on recovery.
As of 20 August 2020, the Bayanihan to Recover as One (Bayanihan 2) proposed law, which lays out the country’s COVID-19 response and allocates funds (a P165 billion stimulus package) to help struggling sectors cope with the pandemic’s impacts, has been approved by the two Houses and the Bicameral Conference Committee. The Senate has ratified the Conference Committee version on 20 August and the House approved it on 24 August. It took effect on September 15, 2020 and will be enforced until December 19, 2020.
RA 11519 is an act extending the availability of appropriations under RA 11494 upto June 30, 2021.
For further details on Bayanihan 1, please go to this link.