Incentives for displaced workers mulled

MANILA, Philippines — A House leader on Monday proposed a P1,000-per-week cash allowance for Metro Manila workers and low-income families whose livelihood sources had been crippled by new lockdown protocols in the capital.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, the first lawmaker to suggest a Metro Manila-wide lockdown, said his proposal would involve providing informal workers and contractual employees with “subsistence allowance that will cover their most essential needs.”

“Incentives for compliance will be an unconditional cash transfer for income support for food allowance of P1,000 [per] week for four weeks for 3.4 million families” in Metro Manila, he said.

This, Salceda said, shall form part of a P27.2-billion income replacement scheme targeting some 3.4 million families in the capital under a larger P199-billion package “to boost the economy and support the most vulnerable groups affected by COVID-19.”Salceda, chair of the House ways and means committee, issued the statement ahead of the government’s announcement of the “enhanced community quarantine” over Luzon on Monday.

Work stoppage

Elaborating on his proposal, Salceda said indigent families would be incentivized for complying with the lockdown protocols in Metro Manila.

“General community quarantine is genetically designed to fail especially in the context of the massive leakages in the lockdown. Only home quarantine with work stoppage can slow down the virus to levels that our hospitals can handle,” he said.

Labor Undersecretary Benjo Benavidez, for his part, said employers could release the 13th month pay of their workers early to help them cope with the effects of the community quarantine.

“If the companies have the funds, they could advance this. Under the law, those who have worked for one month are entitled to 13th month pay,” he said.

Benavidez said the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) has programs to provide emergency employment or financial assistance to displaced workers, including members of the informal sector and contractual workers.

It has so far earmarked P2 billion in funds for these programs.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Monday said the government and employers should draw up a plan on how they could share in the burden in ensuring that those under a “no work, no pay” arrangement would not be left on their own during the month-long lockdown.

TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said the “chaos” seen Monday at the borders of the National Capital Region was the result of a lack of clear policy guidelines and social safety nets for workers who earn by the day.

Meanwhile, Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development to recall its decision to temporarily suspend a number of its financial assistance programs and services, which are crucial for vulnerable sectors beset by the community quarantine.

./atm