Alagang Angara

Apart from providing financial aid and assistance to the sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bayanihan 2 also contains several non-monetary benefits that will provide some relief during the ongoing health crisis, Senator Sonny Angara said today.

Angara, who sponsored the Bayanihan to Recover as One bill as chairman of the Committee on Finance, noted how many businesses, particularly the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) have suffered huge losses due to the community quarantines (CQ) that prohibited them from operating.

Support for the health sector, as it continues to address the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, accounts for the biggest share of the pie in the soon to be enacted Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2.

Senate Committee on Finance chairman Sonny Angara explained that Bayanihan 2 was crafted primarily to ensure continuity in the government’s response to the pandemic so it was only natural for the health sector to receive a significant amount of funding.

A persistent lack of transparency and accountability has contributed to the financial troubles being faced by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Senator Sonny Angara said today.

Angara noted that the Commission on Audit (COA) issued a disclaimer of opinion for 2018 on the fairness of the presentation of PhilHealth’s financial statement due to questions about the benefits claims expense and doubts about the accuracy of the collections made by the corporation.

Senator Sonny Angara said today that immediate actions should be taken to plug the loopholes at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to stop the bleeding of the state health insurer.

During the Senate’s inquiry into the alleged widespread corruption within PhilHealth, a former anti-fraud officer of the corporation claimed that over P15 billion has been wasted or stolen over the years due to rampant questionable transactions facilitated by a syndicate.

The Senate has approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 1564 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) to allow the government to continue its COVID-19 response and help the affected sectors in recovering from the impacts of the pandemic.

Senator Sonny Angara, the bill’s author and sponsor, said the Bayanihan 2 will effectively extend the validity of the government’s COVID-19 programs and interventions under Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which lapsed last June 5, 2020.

Senator Sonny Angara is looking forward to hearing the administration’s plans for all the sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address this coming Monday.

With no end in sight with regard to the pandemic, Angara said it would be interesting to hear the government’s roadmap for the rest of the year and the year ahead.

Senator Sonny Angara is pushing for the inclusion of pandemics, epidemics and other health emergencies in the subjects for primary and secondary schools in the country.

Angara noted that the experience of the Philippines with the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly on the behavior of many Filipinos in spite of the dangers on their health, leaves a lot to be desired.

Angara pushes for the registration and database of informal workers


To provide protection to the informal workers and to ensure they receive aid from the government in times of emergencies, Senator Sonny Angara is calling for the creation of a national database of all members of the informal economy.

--Launches plasmangpagasa.com to connect donors with hospitals