The government is now addressing the concerns of workers who are not considered as essential service providers amid the reimplementation of MECQ in the NCR and nearby areas.
“The no work, no pay policy during the start of the MECQ will mean hunger for millions of workers in Mega Manila. All of them should receive a wage subsidy,” Partido Manggagawa said in a statement.
DOLE Undersecretary Dominique Tutay affirmed the assistance is included in the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) that is currently being pushed in Congress.
“Nagbukas po sila ng negosyo nila, subalit heto at may MECQ uli, ibig sabihin, apektado na naman sila. Kaya ang ating maaaring itugon sa kanila ay kapag naipasa na po, naisabatas na po ‘yung Bayanihan to Recover as One para mabigyan ng ayuda ang ating mga mangagawa (Their businesses were recently opened but the imposition of MECQ means that workers are affected again. Our response is to give them assistance once the Bayanihan to Recover as One is passed),” Tutay explained.
Malacañang also appealed to local governments to help their constituents who will be losing their jobs.
“Congress will have to appropriate funds para po rito sa third ayuda na ibibigay natin sa Metro Manila at sa apat na probinsya ng Region 4A kasama na po ang Bulacan (Congress will have to appropriate funds for the third tranche of aid to be given to Metro Manila and the four provinces of Region 4A and Bulacan),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stated on Monday.
“Pero sa panandalian po, titingnan po natin kung ano ang kakayahan ng DSWD para magbigay ng kahit kaunting ayuda sa mga lugar na ito. Inaasahan din natin na magbibigay kahit paano ng ayuda ang mga LGU (For the meantime, we will look at the capability of the DSWD to give assistance to these areas if only a little. LGUs are also expected to give aid),” Roque added. – Report from Kenneth Paciente
