Aquino signs 4 laws to benefit the poor

President Benigno Aquino III signed into law four measures that would provide benefits for the country’s poor, including one that “requires that all children under five years old be given basic immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases.”

In ceremonies with congressional leaders in Malacañang, President Aquino signed the act providing mandatory basic immunization services for infants and children and the law extending the implementation of so-called lifeline electricity rates for poor families.

“Fulfilling the promise of eliminating poverty cannot be done in one stroke; and these two measures, however seemingly minor they are, will certainly affect the lives of our people,” President Aquino said in his speech during the signing rites.

Night-shift women

President Aquino also signed the measure allowing the employment of night workers and that totally lifts the prohibition against night work for women under the Labor Code.

He also signed the law extending by 10 years the existence of the Joint Congressional Power Commission to ensure the objectives of the Electricity and Power Industry Reform Act and the Renewable Energy Act.

“Our administration was voted into office because our people believed in the promise of change,” President Aquino said.

“Today, with the help of our allies in congress, and with the help of those involved in drafting and in getting these measures approved, I am signing these bills that will move us not one, but four steps closer to fulfilling these promises,” Mr. Aquino said.

Lawmakers
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, majority leaders Sen. Vicente Sotto III and Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II attended the ceremonies.

Others in attendance were Senate Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Deputy Speakers Arnulfo Fuentebella and Isabel Climaco, and the laws respective authors and sponsors in Congress.

Republic Act No. 10152, or the mandatory basic immunization services for babies and children, provides that all newborns delivered in health facilities shall be given hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours after birth.

It also provides that PhilHealth shall include basic immunization services in its package of benefits.

“I signed the Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunization Act, which requires that all children under five years old be given basic immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases,” President Aquino said.

“Specifically, this bill provides for all infants to be given the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. Hepatitis B can be a crippling disease as it can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer, among others,” he added.

Lifeline rate

“I also signed a bill to extend the lifeline rate for electricity, which lessens the burden of electricity bills on low-income families. The extension of this measure will allow the less fortunate among us to put more of their resources into feeding themselves, or into saving enough to pay hospital or medicine bills,” President Aquino said of new Republic Act 10150, amending the Epira of 2001.

The new law provides for the outright extension for another 10 years of the lifeline rate—a subsidized electricity rate to low-income residential end-users. It is expected to provide 2.02 million households with discounted electricity rates.

President Aquino said Republic Act No. 10151 levels the playing field for female employees undertaking nighttime duties.

“Right now, industries, specially our BPOs, who are hiring women workers to perform night work are first required to secure an exemption from the Department of Labor and Employment. And the strange thing is that this is not necessary in hiring male workers for the same assignment,” President Aquino said.

President Aquino also signed Joint Resolution No. 1 that extended the existence of the JCPC.