CURES Act of 2020 approved by House Committee

Co-chaired by Deputy Speaker Luis Villafuerte Jr. and Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez, the Defeat COVID-19 Committee Social Amelioration Cluster approved House Bill No. 6709 or the COVID-19 Unemployment Reduction Economic Stimulus (CURES) Act of 2020 which is provides a Php 1.5-T budget for the creation of jobs and opportunities for the underprivileged sector primarily in rural areas.

The bill also supplements the current initiative of the government to develop the countryside under the “Balik Probinsya Bagong Pag-asa Program” authored by Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go. Under the CURES Act, projects would be focused to develop infrastructure pertaining to health, agriculture, education, and livelihood programs or HEAL.

On education, the law would be able to boost the capacities of the Technical Education and Skills Authority (TESDA) most especially its Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs. According to TESDA Deputy Director General Rosanna Urdaneta, the proposed bill would be significant in carrying out the mandates of their institution.

Department of Agriculture Sec. William Dar also expressed his support to the bill citing the need to develop infrastructure connecting workers in the agriculture sector to urban markets.

In a statement made by Rep. Villafuerte, he encouraged his colleagues to support the immediate passing of the proposed bill.

“If we were able to provide over Php 200-B on dole-outs through the Bayanihan Act, I think it is just right to provide Php 500-B under the proposed CURES Act to create jobs. The rationale of this bill is that all infrastructure projects should be shovel ready. Hindi na po pwede na gagawa tayo ng mga proyekto na aabutin ng mga isa o dalawang taon, dapat implementable ito within 60 to 90 days para diretso na pong mabigyan ang mga tao ng hanapbuhay,” he said.