Solon wants P23B to fund assistance for new coronavirus-affected workers

MANILA, Philippines — Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has filed three bills that would earmark a total of P23 billion for workers affected by COVID-19. 

According to Rodriguez, one of the bills seek P3 billion to help affected workers. This fund would be administered by the Department of Labor and Employment. 

Another bill wants a P10-billion allocation to the Department of Tourism, for tourism-oriented establishments that would suffer due to fewer domestic and international patrons amid the virus scare.

The last bill, on the other hand, would appropriate another P10 billion for the Department of Trade and Industry to extend financial assistance to other businesses that would be affected by the COVID-19 crisis. 

“It is important that the government help distressed employees and businesses because Covid-19, aside from its health implications, affects jobs and businesses,” Rodriguez pointed out in a statement.

Rodriguez then explained that the allocation of assistance funds was in line with the state of public health emergency declaration of President Rodrigo Duterte throughout the country. 

 As the country’s number of COVID-19 cases soared to 52, Duterte has put Metro Manila under “community quarantine”, which he eventually described as lockdown, for 30 days.

Of the 52, five have already died.

KGA