Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 8597

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES ALAN PETER “COMPANERO’” S.
CAYETANO, MARIA LAARNI L, CAYETANO, LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F,
VILLAFUERTE, JR., RANEO E. ABU, DAN S. FERNANDEZ, MICHAEL T.
DEFENSOR, AND JOSE ANTONIO “KUYA” R. SY-ALVARADO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The challenges brought by the year 2020 has undoubtedly left the Philippine
economy in bad shape, and in turn, every Filipino in the country has felt their
own share of suffering and hardship because of it.

As of January 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has infected more than 500,000
Filipinos, and with more than 10,000 of said cases resulting in death. Due to the
mandated lockdown to manage the spread of the virus, millions of Filipinos lost
their jobs, bringing the country’s unemployment rate to as high as 17.7%,
before eventually decreasing as the economy slowly opened back up.t The
pandemic had both direct and indirect impact on poverty and inequality due to
the the loss of livelihoods, disruption or closing of many businesses, increase in
personal and business debt and even decrease in remittances from overseas
Filipino workers, who has to be repatriated back home?

The Philippine economy contracted more than economists expected in the 4%
quarter, capping its worst year on record, as private consumption remained
anemic even as more businesses reopened from lockdowns. For all of 2020,
GDP plunged 9.5% as economists expected, the largest drop in government data
going back to 19463

Further aggravating the challenges our country faces, prices of agricultural
commodities in the Philippine market have also continued to climb in the
month of January 2021. The Department of Agriculture's (DA) price watch
showed increases in vegetable and meat prices by as much as 66% from

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December 2020. Poverty incidence in the country remained high, even prior to
the onset of the pandemic, with 9.1% of Filipinos or equivalent to 2.3 million
families have experienced hunger.*

Despite the various crises our country is currently facing, the Philippines has
one of the smallest amounts in terms of stimulus package among the key ASEAN
countries. Bayanihan to Heal as One and Bayanihan to Recover as One have
provided more than halfa trillion pesos ($10 billion). However, 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).

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 while a viable vaccine program for all Filipinos is being
rolled out by the Government. Extraordinary times require extraordinary
measures to boost both the economy and the lives of the Filipino people. Given
that it will take time for our country to complete all vaccinations, we must do
what we can to prevent more families from going into hunger. This will drive
household consumption up and in turn help our economy recover.

This bill ensures that each and every Filipino is given additional assistance, in
recognition that we all have been affected by the pandemic, economic setbacks,
and all the hardships brought about in the year 2020.

Foregoing considered, the immediate passage of this bill is sought.

ALAN PETER ZOMPANERO” S.CAYETANO MARIA LAARNI L. CAYETANO

Representative Representative
1 District of Taguig-Pateros 2nd District of Taguig
LUIS R§YMUND “LBAY’ F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. NEO E. ABU
Representative Representative
2m4 District of Camarines Sur 24 District of Batangas

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DA! -RNANDE; LT. DEFENSOR
Representative Representative
1s District of Laguna ANAKALUSUGAN Partylist

be

JOSE ANTO} “KUYA” R. SY-ALVARADO
‘epresentative
st District of Bulacan


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No.8597

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES ALAN PETER “COMPANERO” S.
CAYETANO, MARIA LAARNI L, CAYETANO, LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F.
VILLAFUERTE, JR., RANEO E. ABU, DAN S. FERNANDEZ, MICHAEL T.
DEFENSOR, AND JOSE ANTONIO “KUYA” R. SY-ALVARADO

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 Represeni
Congress assembled:

ives of the Phi

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Bangon
Pamilyang Pilipino (BPP) Assi ict of 2021”

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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, most
especially during the interim that a viable vaccine program is being rolled out
by the Government to protect all Filipinos against COVID-19.



Towards this end, it is hereby the policy of the State to prevent more
families from going into hunger by providing an immediate financial boost
through an additional assistance program while the roll out of the National
Vaccine Program is still pending or ongoing.

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 or a 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 Assi . - Each Filipino family s
receive a one-time cash assistance of Ten Thousand Pesos (Php 10,000) or One
Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (Php 1,500) per Family member, whichever is
higher.

Sec. 6. Priority List of Beneficiaries, - The following shall be given
priority in the distribution of the BPP Cash Assistance:

a) Poorest of the poor;

b) Senior Citizens;

©) 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, bi ited to, the following:

1. Freelancers such as entertainers, tour guides, workers in the
events industry, therapists, etc.;

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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 househelpers; and
6. Sub-minimum wage earners.
f) Medical frontliners including Barangay Health Workers;
g) Families of Overseas Filipino Workers;
h) Those who were not able to receive assistance through any of the
Social Amelioration Programs of the national government;
i) _ Filipino Citizens holding a Philippine National 1D; and
j) Other members of the vulnerable sectors.

Sec. 7. Enrollment to the Philippine Identification System. - Pursuant
to the policy set out in Republic Act (RA) 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 s'
Sec. 6.

ted in

Sec. 8. BPP Assistance Program Hotline, Website, and Mobile
blish, in and operate a telephone
hotline, website, and a mobile application 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. A separate hotline shall also be dedicated for those with special
needs such as but not limited to: Senior Citizens, Persons with Disabilities, and
the like.

Sec. 9. Sources of Funding. - The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be sourced from the unprogrammed funds and
savings from R.A. No. 11465 or the 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and
R.A. No. 11518 or the 2021 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. 10. 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. 11. Repeating 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, 12, Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.
The effectivity 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,