Duterte to tackle Bayanihan 2 and 3 with Congress leaders on Thursday —Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte will meet with Congress leaders on Thursday to tackle the expiring Bayanihan 2 law and the proposed Bayanihan 3 aimed at stirring the country to recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Malacañang said.

“I confirm that there is a meeting today. The President will meet the leaders of both houses of Congress on Bayanihan 2 and proposed Bayanihan 3,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in his regular press briefing.

Roque has earlier said that P18 billion of the P165-billion fund under Bayanihan 2, which expires on June 30, has yet to be spent.

The House of Representatives approved the P401-billion Bayanihan 3 stimulus package, or Bayanihan to Arise As One, aimed at aiding Filipinos amid the pandemic last May 25.

The Filipino Nurses United (FNU) already appealed for the use of such unspent fund for the salary increase of nurses provided under 2002 Nursing Law, which was upheld by an October 2019 Supreme Court ruling setting salary of entry level nurses to Salary Grade 15 (P32,000) from Salary Grade 11 (P22,000).

Asked if the government will oblige to FNU’s appeal, Roque said it is "possible."

“That is possible. It is not improbable since the Executive Secretary (Salvador Medialdea) said we will find funding source for prospective application of salary adjustment pursuant to the Paquiz decision,” Roque said, referring to Medialdea's June 1 memo.

“It could be a supplemental budget under Bayanihan 3 or further realignment of Bayanihan 2. I t is up to Congress since they have plenary power of legislation,” he added.

Roque, however, said last June 8 that there may not be enough government money for funding the salary increase of nurse predating Medialdea’s June 1 memo. —KBK, GMA News