GUIDE BILL, APRUBADO NG KOMITE SA KAMARA

Inaprubahan ngayong Martes ng Komite ng Banks and Financial Intermediaries ang pinagsama-samang panukala, kabilang ang House Bill No. 1 ni Speaker Martin G. Romualdez na naglalayong palawigin ang mga  programa ng pamahalaan na matulungan ang mga maliliit na negosyo sa buong kapuluan na makaahon sa pandemyang dulot ng coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19).

Pinamunuan ni Manila Rep. Irwin C. Tieng, chairman ng lupon, ang pag-apruba ng ilang panukala na magpapalakas sa kakayanan ng Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) at ng Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) sa pagbibigay ng kinakailangang tulong sa mga micro, small, at medium enterprises (MSMEs), at iba pang istratehiyang mahahalagang kompanya.

“There is a motion duly seconded, the bills on GUIDE by virtue of

Section 48 of the rules of the House of Representatives are hereby approved. The secretariat is directed to prepare the committee report,” ani Tieng, at kanyang idinagdag na ang mga pinagsama-samang panukala ay isusumite sa Komite ng Appropriations at Ways and Means para sa ilalaang pondo at mga rekisitos sa probisyon ng pondo, ayon sa pagkakasunod.

“As a matter of procedure, we have to submit our approved committee report to the appropriations for funding and of course for ways and means for tax provision,” ani Tieng.

Bukod kay Romualdez, ang mga pangunahing may-akda ng panukala ay sina Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez ng Tingog Partylist, anak ng Pangulo na si Ferdinand Alexander Marcos ng Ilocos Norte at Jude Acidre, ng Tingog Partylist.

Sa ilalim ng Rule 10, Section 48, pinahihintulutan ang mga Komite na tapusin ang mga pangunahing panukala na naihain na at inaprubahan na sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa nang sinudang Kongreso. 

Ayon sa Rule 10: “In case of bills or resolutions that are identified

as priority measures of the House, which were previously filed in the immediately preceding Congress and have already been approved on third reading, the same may be disposed of as matters already reported upon the approval of the members of the committee present, there being a

quorum.”

Inisponsoran ni Acidre ang panukala. “The pandemic has placed a severe strain on our economy. The previous Congress successfully passed several

versions of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act to cushion the economic impact of the COVID-19. Nevertheless, our micro, small and medium enterprises remain struggling to survive the deleterious effects of the pandemic. In view of the foregoing, it is our humble but firm belief that we need to create a more enabling environment for financial access for our MSMEs,” ani Acidre.

Ilan sa mga may-akda ng pinagsama-samang panukala ay kinabibilangan nina Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, Benguet Rep. Eric Go Yap, at iba pa.

Sa ilalim ng HB No. 1, na may titulong “An Act providing for government financial institutions unified initiatives to distressed enterprises for economic recovery (GUIDE),” na naglalaan ng P7.5-bilyon sa Land Bank of

the Philippines (LBP) at P2.5-bilyon sa Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) o kabuuang halaga na P10-bilyon upang isakatuparan ang kanilang mga mandato.

“To this end, the government financial institutions are mandated to expand their credit programs in order to assist MSMEs to meet their liquidity needs. In particular, the LBP and DBP are mandated to expand their credit and rediscounting facilities to affected MSMEs in the agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, and service industries,” ayon sa panukala.

Sa ilalim ng panukala, ang terminong MSME ay, “refers to any business activity or enterprise engaged in industry, agribusiness and/or services, whether single proprietorship, cooperative, partnership or corporation whose total assets, inclusive of those arising from loans but exclusive of the land on which the particular business entity’s office, plant and equipment are situated, must have value falling under the following categories: micro, not more than P3 million; small, P3 million to P15 million; and medium, P15 million to P100 million.”

Itinataas din ng GUIDE bill ang Capital Stock ng DBP mula P35-bilyon sa P100-bilyon, na hinati sa one billion shares sa halagang P100 sa bawat buong subskripsyon ng pamahalaang nasyunal.