A huge stimulus package

(PR)

CONGRESS, through its Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, has filed House Bill 8628 or the proposed P420 billion Bayanihan to Arise as One Act, also known as Bayanihan 3 in order to counter the effects of economic recession caused by COVID 19, now entering its second year in the country.

A portion of the P420 billion bill will finance another social amelioration scheme for severely affected households through the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The newest bill or the Bayanihan 3 will augment the funds brought by Bayanihan to Heal as One and Bayanihan to Recover as One which, according to the Speaker were not sufficient for the genuine economic recovery of the country.

It may take years and more funds to achieve total economic recovery of the country.

As regards this second amelioration scheme, there should be honest-to-goodness implementation by the implementing agency to achieve its goal. As it is, records for the

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There were reports that the first social amelioration handout was not without irregularities. Even non-deserving individuals were reportedly able to get funds from the scheme.

This is where rigid screening of real beneficiaries must be implemented so that the funds will not fall on wrong hands.

In the US, a massive stimulus package of $1.9 trillion (whew!) is being readied in Congress. This huge aid package will greatly help Americans forced out of work by the pandemic.

The US, as we all know is also experiencing deep economic problems and the new Biden

administration is faced with the daunting task of helping citizens back on their feet.

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In the meanwhile, the government should hasten the economic recovery of the country to do away with the band-aid solution of what may be euphemistically called social amelioration scheme; otherwise, the mostly indolent Filipinos will be content with the doleouts and never aspire for self betterment.