Alagang Angara

For faster and more efficient transactions in both the government and private sector, all agencies and establishments should institute digital payment systems at the soonest possible time.

Senator Sonny Angara took note of the growth of digital payments in the Philippines at a rate of 27% to 30%, which is higher than the 25% average of emerging Asian countries, but is still just one percent by volume of the estimated 2.5 billion payments made per month.

Senator Sonny Angara said today the Bayanihan to Recover as One or Bayanihan 2 contains several provisions aimed at supporting local industries that have been suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apart from providing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) access to loans through the government financial institutions, Angara said the soon-to-be enacted law gives special preference for locally-manufactured products such as personal protective equipment (PPE) being used by health frontliners across the country.

Yung huling pagkakataon ng Bansa sa ilalim ng revolutionary government ay nung 1986 Ang Edsa revolution. Nung EDSA Dos 2001 sinunod natin ang constitutional succession when then VP Arroyo succeeded to the presidency vacated by Pres Estrada; yung ibang panahon na nagkaroon ng mga kudeta at pagtangka laban sa nakaupong gobyerno at konstitusyon di naging maganda ang karanasan ng bansa- bumagsak ang ekonomiya at sumama ang lagay ng lahat. Bahagi ng pag mature natin bilang isang bansang demokratiko ang pagtanggap ng pamumuhay sa ilalim ng saligang batas.

We will be thorough in our review for  that has always been the Senate way.  We will not sacrifice scrutiny for speed.  And I say this with confidence that we will meet the deadline of  a well-crafted budget ready for the President’s signature long before the year ends.

There is only one major macroeconomic assumption that underpins next year’s expenditures and that is COVID-19. It will dictate the thrust and content of the 2021 budget. It is through this prism that we will view the budget .

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.