EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
Third Regular Session
SENATE
S. B. NO. 2486
FILED
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL CASH ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM FOR FILIPINOS TO AID IN MITIGATING THE EFFECTS 
OF THE CURRENT CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The pandemic revealed some of the systemic issues surrounding our society, 
from issues concerning the capacity of our public health system to hurdles in 
ensuring that social protection programs are resilient to all types of 
emergencies. All of these led to the suffering and hardship of our Filipino 
families.
Despite the various crises our country is currently facing, the Philippines has 
one of the smallest stimulus packages among the key ASEAN countries. 
“Bayanihan to Heal as One” and “Bayanihan to Recover as One" have provided 
more than half a trillion pesos ($10 billion). Hovi/ever, in the statistics provided 
by the Singapore Institute for International Affairs, this is still low as compared 
to those of Thailand (around $75 billion), Malaysia (around $60 billion), 
Singapore (around $40 billion), Indonesia (around $30 billion) and Vietnam 
(around $20 billion).1
In 2020, the World Food Programme stated that millions of people worldwide 
"suffer from acute hunger," and that the COVlD-19 pandemic “could now double 
the number, putting an additional 130 million people at risk of suffering acute 
hunger by the end of 2020.”2
1 Available at https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/12/24/phl-and-its-asean-neighbors-economic- 
performance-amid-the-pandemic/
2 Available at https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopmenWiunger/,


True enough, based on a Rapid Nutrition Assessment Survey conducted by the 
Food and Nutrition Research Institution, 62.1% of Filipino households 
experienced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2020 amid the ongoing 
COVID-19 pandemic.3 Furthermore, the Asian Development Bank expects that 
the impact of COVID-19 on food security is expected to last beyond the 
pandemic.4
The bill seeks to introduce a cash assistance intervention to save lives and ease 
the burden of Filipinos struggling in this pandemic. Although Filipinos are known 
for their grit and resilience, assistance to our countrymen Is still needed to help 
them survive and get back on their feet amidst the pandemic. Extraordinary 
times require extraordinary measures to boost both the economy and the lives 
of the Filipino people. This will drive household consumption up and, in turn, 
help our economy recover.
Thus, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
^Available at
https://cpbrd.congress.gov.ph/images/PDF%20Attachments/Facts%20in%20Figures/FF2021-
35_Food_lnsecurity.pdf.
4 Available at https://blogs.adb.org/blog/pandemic-has-left-millions-asia-struggling-food.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
Third Regular Session
SENATE
S. B. NO. 2486
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Introduced by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA
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AN ACT PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL CASH ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM FOR FILIPINOS TO AID IN MITIGATING THE 
EFFECTS OF THE CURRENT CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembied:
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Bangon Pamilyang 
Filipino (BPP) Assistance Program Act of 2022”
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to free 
the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, 
a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the country, stunt its economy, 
and disrupt jobs and livelihoods - especially for the most vulnerable. 
Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures to uplift both the economy 
and the lives of the Filipino people. In line with this, the State shall endeavor to 
help all Filipinos and the economy get the much needed financial boost in the 
wake of inflation, increased prices of basic commodities, and other causes of 
financial strains and hardships brought about by the pandemic.
Towards this end, it is hereby the policy of the Stale to prevent more families 
from going into hunger by providing an immediate financial boost through an 
additional assistance program.


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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act:
a) 
Family - a group of persons usually living together and composed of 
the head and other persons related to the head by blood, marriage, 
or adoption. It includes both the nuclear and extended family.
b) 
Nuclear Family - composed of a father and mother with unmarried 
children ora parent with children.
c) 
Extended Family - refers to the household composed of a nuclear 
family as defined above together with relatives like son-in-law, 
daughter-in-law, grandson, granddaughter, father, mother, and other 
relatives.
SEC. 4. BPP Assistance Program. » Over and above and separate and 
distinct from any financial assistance or social amelioration measure of the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the BPP Assistance 
Program is hereby created under the DSWD that will hereby provide cash 
assistance through the most expeditious, transparent, and simple process to all 
Filipino families and individuals affected by the pandemic, as enumerated in 
Section 6 herein.
SEC. 5. Amount of BPP Cash Assistance. - Each Filipino family shall receive 
a one-time cash assistance of Ten Thousand Pesos (Php10.000.00) or One 
Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (Php 1,500.00) per Family member, whichever 
is higher.
SEC. 6. Form and Manner of Payment. - The cash assistance shall be 
released to target beneficiaries either in cash or via electronic transfer, 
whichever is more practical and acceptable to the beneficiary, in the most 
expeditious manner.
SEC. 7. Waiver of Fees. - Any transaction or service fee arising from the 
electronic payment of the cash assistance to target beneficiaries is hereby 
automatically waived. For this purpose, the DSWD shall enter into a 
memorandum of agreement with financial service providers.
SEC. 8. Priority List of Beneficiaries. - The following shall be given priority 
in the distribution of the BPP Cash Assistance;
a) 
Indigent persons;
b) 
Senior Citizens;
c) 
Persons with Disabilities;
d) 
Solo parents;
e) 
Displaced, retrenched or separated workers, or otherwise severely 
affected or have lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, 
which include, but are not limited to, the following:


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1. 
Freelancers such as entertainers, tour guides, workers in the 
events industry, therapists, etc.;
2. 
Drivers of public transportation such as pedicab, tricycle, PUJs, 
PUVs, taxi, bus, etc.;
3. 
Owners and workers in microenterprises such as sari-sari 
stores, market stalls, food carts, etc.;
4. 
Farmers:
5. 
Homeworkers including family drivers and househeipers; and
6. 
Sub-minimum wage earners.
f) 
Medical frontliners including Barangay Health Workers;
g) 
Families of Overseas Filipino Workers; and
h) 
Other members of the vulnerable sectors.
The definite and actual list of beneficiaries of the BPP Assistance Program shall 
be finalized by the DSWD and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), in 
coordination with local government units and relevant government agencies, 
within three (3) months upon effectivity of this Act.
SEC. 9. Enrollment to the Philippine Identification System. - Pursuant to 
the policy set out in Republic Act (R.A.) No. 11055, or the 
Philippine Identification System Act," which aims to promote seamless delivery 
of service and to improve the efficiency, transparency, and targeted delivery of 
public and social services, all Filipinos who seek to benefit from the BPP Cash 
Assistance Program are enjoined and highly encouraged to enroll in the 
Philippine Identification System (PIS). Enrollment in the system would merit 
prioritization of the enrollee in the list of beneficiaries of this Act as stated in 
Sec. 6.
SEC. 10. BPP Assistance Program Hotline, Website, and Mobile 
Application. - The DSWD shall establish, maintain and operate telephone 
hotlines, website, a mobile application, on-site helpdesks, and any other means 
available in order to effectively and efficiently facilitate the roll-out of the BPP 
Assistance Program, answer inquiries and receive complaints and grievances 
from the public, and help disseminate information.
SEC. 11. Sources of Funding. - The amount necessary to carry out the 
provisions of this Act shall be sourced from the unobligated and unreleased 
funds and savings from R.A. No. 11518 or the 2021 General Appropriations Act 
(GAA) and R.A. No. 11639 or the 2022 GAA. The National Government may 
also enter into favorable loan agreement(s) to finance the programs and 
projects to implement this Act.


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SEC. 12. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any portion or provision of 
this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions not 
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
SEC. 13. Repealing Clause.-All laws, executive orders, proclamations, rules, 
regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
SEC. 14. Effectivlty. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation. 
The effectivlty of this Act shall cease upon the lifting of the State of Public Health 
Emergency throughout the Philippines, as stated in Presidential Proclamation 
No. 922, s. 2020.
Approved,