A leader at the House of Representatives on Tuesday called on President Rodrigo Duterte anew to order a special session for Congress in view of the urgent need to extend the 'Bayanihan to Recover As One Act,' known as the 'Bayanihan 2.'

Deputy Speaker and Cagayan De Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez noted that the validity of the P165.5-billion Bayanihan 2 was set to end on Wednesday, June 30, under the first extension law, Republic Act 11519.

The availability of funds was initially scheduled to expire on Dec. 19, 2020.

'We have to extend the effectivity of the law again, so that the government can spend whatever remains of the millions of funds we have appropriated for pandemic response,' he said.

'Unless we pass another extension bill, the unspent funds would no longer be available,' he added, pointing out that more than P18 billion have yet to be obligated.

The House had approved on second reading a measure that proposes the extension of the release, obligation, and disbursement of funds for another six months or until Dec. 31, 2021.

House Bill 9538 likewise seeks to extend the allocations for programs, projects, and activities of implementing agencies, standby funds, and other unreleased appropriations.

Rodriguez highlighted that a special session will also pave the way for Congress to approve into law the third round of financial assistance, the P401-billion Bayanihan 3, which was passed on third and final reading by the House.

Although the House and the Senate are on their annual mandatory or sine die adjournment, the Constitution empowers the President to call the legislature at any time, he said.

The Budget Department had said unspent funds under the Bayanihan 2 will be reverted to the National Treasury at the end of the year.