The House Committee on Social Services has finally decided to act on former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s 10K Ayuda Bill after mounting pressure from various sectors.
In a media statement on Thurday morning (March 25), committee chair Quezon City 5th District Rep. Alfred Vargas said the bill will be referred to the Committee on Economic Affairs and will be read in plenary today (Thurday).
He explained that when the bill was referred to his committee, the plenary had already finished discussing the extension of Bayanihan 2 while Bayanihan 3 was already being discussed by the economic affairs committee.
“I suggested the consolidation of this bill with similar measures and its referral to economic affairs. This is more practical since all these bills have similar legislative intent. By doing so, we can facilitate congressional action on these bills. Isang talakayan na lang, sa halip na isa-isa,” he said.
Vargas’ sudden change of heart came as Cayetano and his allies launched a stronger push for the bill’s passage and as other officials, including Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, joined the call.
Filed by Cayetano, Taguig Rep. Lani Cayetano, and their allies in the House of Representatives on February 1, 2021, the 10K Ayuda Bill seeks to give each Filipino family P10,000 or P1,500 per family member, whichever is higher, that they can use for their daily needs or to start their own businesses as the country waits for the full roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination program.
It had been referred to the Committee on Social Services led by Vargas but languished there for almost two months.