HOUSE Speaker Alan Peter S. Cayetano said the executive branch can find other sources of funds if the budget for the cash aid program under the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency response is insufficient.

“The Bayanihan to Heal as One (law) does not limit to P275 billion. The Executive can find other sources but it’s not easy, it’s quite tricky,” he said in a virtual briefing on Monday.

Mr. Cayetano said the administration’s economic team is “working hard” to ensure that these other sources of funds will not further upset the economy.

“The economic team is working hard na ‘yung mga kukunin na budget, hindi makakaapekto sa ating ekonomiya once na under control o matalo na natin itong (to ensure that the budget that will be redirected will not affect the economy once we have put under control or defeated this) COVID-19,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cayetano, who is one of the members of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One law, said that they are still waiting for the second weekly report of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

“We’re not being very technical and (we are on) 24/7 naman po tayo,” he said.

Section 5 of RA 11469 mandates the President to submit every Monday a report to Congress on the implementation of the law, including the amount of funds used, realigned, and reallocated. — Genshen L. Espedido

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