Ni NOEL ABUEL
Isinusulong ni Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas ang pagbibigay ng libreng COVID-19 testing ang mga jobseekers at mga manggagawa sa micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“The real-life accounts of our fellow Filipinos who lost their job during this pandemic motivate this measure,” sabi ni Vargas sa inihain nitong House Bill No. 10671 o ang Free COVID-19 Testing to Promote Labor Act.
“Many of them are looking for work, but cannot afford the RT-PCR tests that some employers require prior to hiring. It would be unconscionable if government continues to neglect their plight,” paliwanag nito.
Nakasaad sa panukala na ang mga empleyado na hindi na isinama sa kasalukuyang libreng testing package sa ilalim ng PhilHealth, pati na rin ang maliliit na negosyo at job-makers na hindi na kaya pang gastusan ang COVID test ng kanilang mga manggagawa.
“By providing free and accessible COVID-19 testing for these members of the Filipino labor force, and institutionalizing legislative policies aimed at protecting workers against discrimination and unjust practices, this measure hopes to promote the safety and welfare of our hardworking fellow Filipinos and ensure the sustainability of the businesses that lift up our nation from this economic downturn,“ nakasaad sa panukala.
Idinagdag pa ng kongresista na base sa ulat ng Asian Development Bank (ADB) at ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), na malaking bilang ng mga manggagawa ang nawala ng trabaho dahil sa pandemya na nakaapekto sa milyun-milyong pamilya.
“One lost job is not just a number. Unemployment rates are not just figures. For many of our fellow Filipinos, losing work means losing a home, leaving the dinner table empty, reluctantly stopping a child’s education, or leaving lingering sickness unattended. Our laws, like this bill, must look after those who have less in life,” paliwanag pa nito.
OnlineBalita news 