OPENING REMARKS
The bills under consideration today cover wide-ranging topics: from media and film workers’ welfare, service incentive leaves, skillled workers registry, to discrimination against women in the workplaces.
Iba’t iba po ang layunin ng mga panukalang batas na ito pero lahat po ay para sa kapakinabangan ng ating mga kababayang manggagawa.
Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa ating Senate President Tito Sotto at sa ating mga kapwa-Senador sa pagbibigay-pansin sa usapin ng karapatan ng mga manggagawa lalong-lalo ngayon at bago pa man tumama ang pandemya.
FIRST, Senate Bill Nos. 1820 and 2021 taking into consideration House Bill No. 8140 or the Media Workers’ Welfare Act filed by our dear Senate President Tito Sotto and our colleague from Cavite, Senator Revilla, which seek to provide media workers their well-deserved emoluments and their regularization.
SECOND, Senate Bill No. 294, taking into consideration House Bill No. 7762 and Senate Resolution No. 95 filed by Senator Grace Poe or the “Eddie Garcia Law” filed by our colleague who did not only work directly with the legendary Eddie Garcia but also a popular movie and TV actor himself, Senator Bong Revilla Jr.
Although we’ve already passed the OSHS Law in 2018, we believe that occupational safety and health is a continuing urgent concern amid the pandemic not only for workers or independent contractors in the film, television, and radio entertainment industry but also for all economic frontliners.
At this point, we are convinced that we need to look into it, discuss and debate about it, and perhaps look into what we can do to improve this measure. We are also convinced that the government’s immunization drive against COVID-19 along with safe and healthy workplaces can stop the pandemic.
Uulitin ko lamang po meron po tayong batas Republic Act 11058 or the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Act which covers all our workers regardless of the industry at amahabnag panahon po ang inilaan natin dito. Nasa camara de representantes palang po kami ni Sen. Imee ay pinaguusapan na po ang batas na ito. Kamakailan lang, noong 2018, ay naipasa ang batas na ito.
THIRD, Senate Bill Nos. 425 and 641 taking into consideration: House Bill No. 1338 filed by Senator Pangilinan and again by Senator Revilla, which seek to increase the mandatory 5-day service incentive leave under the Labor Code to 10 days.
We, of course, support this measure in principle. However, we also take into consideration what is happening right now, a lot of our employers are doing their best, sacrificing, not closing their business in order to help our employees.
"At higit sa lahat, kailangan po nating aksyunan ang pangangailangan ng ating bayan post-pandemic. Ang ating mga manggagawa po dapat ang centerpiece ng ating economic recovery."
We also want to thank and acknowledge our employers who may be struggling to make ends meet but dared to step forward to give vacation and sick leaves to their employees, above the mandatory five-day service incentive leave under Presidential Decree No. 442.
Nakikita rin po talaga ng ating mga employers ang advantages ng pagbibigay ng dagdag na “time-off” sa kanilang mga empleyado. Lalo na po ngayon na buhay na buhay ang yoong problema natin sa mental health ng ating mga manggagawa.
FOURTH, Senate BIll Nos. 1380 and 2185 (taking into consideration: House Bill No. 6228) or the “Barangay Skilled Workers Registry Act” filed by our idol, Senator Lacson and “Kap”, Senator Bong Revilla. These bills empower barangays to create a registry of skilled workers in the community.
Personal experience ko po: noong tayo po ay nasa TESDA pa, kapag kailangan po natin halimbawa ng masahista, electrician, karpintero - maliban po siguro sa mga tubero na may naka-paskel na ads sa lahat ng poste ng kuryente, hindi ko rin alam kung saan makakakuha sa baranggay o sa bayan kasi wala silang registry.
Halos ganito po ang layunin ng inilunsad natin noon sa TESDA, young TESDA Specialista Program kung saan ginugrupo natin ang mga skilled workers, binibigyan po sila ng mga “nurturers” para malaman ng buong komunidad at mai-market ang skills nila. Alam na alam po na isa ito sa mga ipinagmamalaking programa noon ng TESDA na maging si Pangulong Noynoy Aquino noon ay very proud.
FIFTH, and lastly, Senate Bill No. 440, finile ng ating Caviteño Senator, Bong Revilla, and Senate Bill No. 2093 filed by this representation taking into consideration: House Bill No. 7722 which aim to expand the scope of the prohibited acts of discrimination against women under the Labor Code.
Halos kalahati o singkwenta porsiyento po ng ating mga manggagawa ay mga kababaihan. Batid po natin kung gaano sila ka-bulnerable sa matinding epekto sa ekonomiya at sa ating lipunan ngayong may COVID-19.
Kaya nga, kung nakikita po natin ang pangangailangan sa panukalang ito bago pa man tumama ang pandemya, mas lalo na po siguro ngayong mahigit isang taon nang binabata ng mga kababaihan ang kakaiba at bagong set-up ng trabaho at sunod-sunod na retrenchment sa pribadong sektor.
We are discussing these bills today within the context of the pandemic and the country’s unemployment rate of 8.7% in April 2021 which translates to 4.14 million Filipinos without jobs.
Pero kailangan na po nating umaksyon ngayon. Kailangan po at tingin ko importante po na pagusapan at i-discuss ang mga panukalang ito. At higit sa lahat, kailangan po nating aksyunan ang pangangailangan ng ating bayan post-pandemic. Ang ating mga manggagawa po dapat ang centerpiece ng ating economic recovery. I believe that these bills are aligned and consistent with that direction.
God bless us all.