For

ores
BATES. oN 08 2aa

Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 6951

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

With the recent emergence of a global pandemic, the government of the
Philippines deemed it necessary to declare a public health emergency, thereby
implementing an enhanced community quarantine throughout the hardest hit cities and
provinces around the country. The enhanced community quarantine basically mandates
everyone to stay at home by limiting access to public places, suspending public
transportation, directing employers to uphold a work from home set-up and all other
necessary measures to prevent the spread of the virus. While these measures have been
implemented by reason of necessity taking into account the health of the Filipino people,
it is quite apparent that those who are affected the most are the marginalized and the
poor Filipino families.

This Bill aims to provide emergency food subsidy to the poor and marginalized
Filipino families who have been greatly affected by the enhanced community quarantine.

In an effort to ease the burden of these families who are currently facing difficulties
in sustaining their daily living, the passage of this Bill is earnestly sought.


eVaunune

2
22
23
24

Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 6951

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

“AN ACT PROVIDING EMERGENCY FOOD SUBSIDY TO EVERY POOR
FILIPINO FAMILY AFFECTED BY THE ENHANCED COMMUNITY
QUARANTINE DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR”

Be it enacted in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the “The Food Subsidy Act’.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — \t shall be the policy of the State to provide
an improved quality life for all. It shall also be the policy of the State to protect and
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.

To this end, the State shall create a program focusing on providing food subsidy
that will contribute in easing the burden of the hardest hit Filipino families by reason of
the enhanced community quarantine.

SECTION 3. Emergency Food Subsidy Program. — An emergency food subsidy
shall be established in order to provide assistance to the marginalized and poor Filipino
families affected by the enhanced community quarantine in the entire Luzon. The
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in coordination with the local
government units (LGUs), shall extend emergency food subsidy to the communities.

SECTION 4. Program Inclusions. - The program will cover ONE HUNDRED
THOUSAND (100,000) households in Luzon with a food subsidy of FIVE HUNDRED
PESOS (Php500.00) per day for a duration of THIRTY (30) days in order to ease the
impact of the Coronavirus disease- 2019 (Covid-19). Other provinces throughout the


Vouaw

10
it
2B

4
15

7
18
19

20
a

a)

country greatly affected by the enhanced community quarantine shall also be included in
the program.

SECTION 5. Appropriations. - An amount appropriate for the mobilization of this
bill is hereby appropriated as a supplemental budget to be released by the Department
of Budget and Management (DBM) to the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) in accordance with the budgeting and auditing laws of the country. The DSWD.
shall issue necessary guidelines for the procurement of the emergency food subsidy.

SECTION 6. Availability of Appropriations. - The appropriations authorized in
this Act shall be available for release and obligation for the purpose from the date of the
effectivity of this Act until the 30t day of the utilization of the emergency food subsidy.

SECTION 7. Sunset Clause. - This Act shall expire after a three-year period from
the date of its effectivity, or sooner upon the official declaration of the President of the
Philippines upon recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging and
Infectious Diseases that the prevailing guidelines of the World Health Organization and
the consensus of the international medical community conclusively show that a viable
vaccine has contained or eradicated COVID-19.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, the validity of the other provisions shall not be
affected thereby.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect immediately after its
publication.

Approved.