(Para maibsan ang epekto ng COVID-19) P108-B ECONOMIC RESCUE PLAN INILATAG

INIHAIN ng isang lady economist-legislator na kasapi ng minority bloc sa Kamara ang panukalang paglalaan ng daang bilyong pisong pondo para maisalba ang ekonomiya ng bansa bunsod ng lumalawak na banta ng coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Sa kanyang House Bill no. 6606 o ang ‘Economic Rescue Plan for COVID-19’, binigyan-diin ni 2nd Dist. Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo na dahil sa nasabing sakit, maaaring mabawasan ng 0.3 hanggang 1.0 percent ang economic output ng Filipinas ngayong taon.

“As of today, there are 49 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines, with two fatalities, and many more are undergoing observation. As we take precautions to contain this disease, our economy is expected to take a hit due to lower economic activity,” wika ng Marikina City lady solon.

Ayon kay Quimbo, na naging professor at  department chair ng University of the Philippines (UP) School of Economics, mismong ang Department of Tourism (DOT) ay nagsabing nasa P42.9 bilyon ang mawawalang kita ng mga nasa local tourism sector mula noong Pebrero hanggang sa Abril.

Kaya naman iminumungkahi niya na maglaan ng kaukulang pondo, partikular ng P108 bilyon, ang gobyerno na gagamitin bilang ‘fiscal stimulus package’.

“This bill (HB 6606) provides for the government to allocate 108 billion pesos for a fiscal stimulus package, broken down as follows: 43 billion for assistance and promotion of the tourism sector, 15 billion for unemployment assistance, and 50 billion for assistance for business, particularly MSMEs, which includes loan packages and subsidies,” paliwanag ni Quimbo. ROMER BUTUYAN