CONGRESSMEN will discuss another set of stimulus measures to help shield the economy from the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, Speaker Alan Peter S. Cayetano said on Thursday.

A House of Representatives committee created to respond to the outbreak will hold a hearing on Tuesday to discuss the package with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s economic managers, he told reporters in a video streamed on Facebook.

“We are inviting other economists including the central bank, of course Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno,” Mr. Cayetano said.

Business groups would also be invited, he said, adding that government response to the outbreak would depend on when the lockdown on Luzon is lifted.

The congressman said he expects micro, small and medium enterprises to require more financial aid.

“So you will probably see a 2021 budget that is really front-priming smaller businesses,” Mr. Cayetano said “The bigger businesses, they’ll need help but they know how to recover,” he said, noting that these companies had survived the 2008 global financial crisis. — Genshen L. Espedido

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR