The House of Representatives has approved on second reading House Bill 6550 which seeks to grant benefits and privileges to day-care workers.
House Bill No. 6550 or the proposed “Magna Carta of Day Care Workers,” seeks to improve the social and economic welfare of day-care workers in recognition of their vital role in providing pre-school education and social development services to children.
The measure defines day care workers as persons primarily engaged in the provision of early child development services and programs such as care, social development, education, protection, and other needs of children aged four years old and below in all government-sponsored day care centers.
It mandates the creation of plantilla positions in all day care centers nationwide, which would grant day care workers with security of tenure and other rights and benefits provided under civil service rules and regulations.
Moreover, the bill seeks to professionalize the ranks of day care workers by setting qualifications and standards, and mandates the establishment of personnel selection boards to ensure systematic and merit-based screening, shortlisting, and hiring of applicants.
Likewise, it prescribes the compensation, additional allowances such as overtime pay, hazard allowance, subsistence allowance, and other benefits and privileges such as free medical examination and treatment in government hospitals for work-related ailments, access to livelihood programs, continuing education and skills training, same-area assignment for married couples who are both day care workers, and other benefits such as automatic membership in the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Pag-IBIG, and PhilHealth.
The bill protects the current day care workers from disenfranchisement through transition measures that can help them comply with the hiring requirements.
Section 7 of HB 6550 provides that day care workers legitimately serving as such upon the passage of the Act, who are above 17 years old but below 18 years old, shall continue to serve as such and are qualified to be covered under the Act.
Same section also provides that day care workers who have no college education upon the effectivity of the Act shall be given two years within which to complete equivalent training to be able to continue in the service…”
Furthermore, the bill provides funding for the program from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) and Special Education Fund of local government units, national government subsidy for poorer municipalities, and contribution of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to and other collections of the Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCDC).
The authors of HB 6550 are Deputy Speakers Romero Quimbo (2nd District, Marikina City) and Linabelle Ruth Villarica, Reps. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar (Party-list, DIWA), , Rosenda Ann Ocampo (6th District, Manila), Lawrence Fortun (1st District, Agusan del Norte), Romeo Acop (2nd District, Antipolo City), Estrellita Suansing (1st District, Nueva Ecija), Horacio Suansing Jr. (2nd District, Sultan Kudarat), Yedda Marie Romualdez (1st District, Leyte), Sol Aragones (3rd District, Laguna), Julieta Cortuna (Party-list, A TEACHER), Peter Unabia (1st District, Misamis Oriental), Strike Revilla (2nd District, Cavite), Bernadette Herrera-Dy (Party-list, BH), Maximo Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City), Arlene Brosas (Party-list, GABRIELA), Emmi De Jesus (Party-list, GABRIELA), Carlos Isagani Zarate (Party-list, BAYAN MUNA), Antonio Tinio (Party-list, ACT TEACHERS), France Castro (Party-list, ACT TEACHERS), Ariel Casilao (Party-list, ANAKPAWIS), Sarah Jane Elago (Party-list, KABATAAN), Winston Castelo (2nd District, Quezon City), Alexandria Gonzales (Lone District, Mandaluyong City), Jose Panganiban (Party-list, ANAC IP), Micaela Violago (2nd District, Nueva Ecija), Deogracias Victor Savellano (1st District, Ilocos Sur), Anna Marie Villaraza-Suarez (Party-list, ALONA), Maria Vida Espinosa Bravo (1st District, Masbate), Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado (1st District, Bulacan), Carmelo Lazatin II (1st District, Pampanga), Celso Lobregat (1st District, Zamboanga City), Marlyn Alonte (Lone District, Binan City), Makmod Mending Jr. (Party-list, AMIN), Manuel Monsour Del Rosario III (1st District, Makati City), Salvador Belaro (Party-list, ANG EDUKASYON), Greg Gasataya(Lone District, Bacolod City), Pablo Ortega (1st District, La Union), Vini Nola Ortega (Party-list, ABONO), Michael Romero (Party-list, 1-PACMAN), John Marvin Nieto (3rd District, Manila), Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (6th District, Pangasinan), Wilter Palma II (1st District, Zamboanga Sibugay), Dale Malapitan (1st District, Caloocan City), Lianda Bolilia (4th District, Batangas), Johnny Ty Pimentel (2nd District, Surigao del Sur), John Enrique Garcia III (2nd District, Bataan), Tricia Nicole Velasco-Catera (Party-list, MATA), Emmanuel Madrona (Lone District, Romblon), Divina Grace Yu (1st District, Zamboang del Sur), Alberto Ungab (3rd District, Davao City), Vicente Veloso (3rd District, Leyte), Aniceto Bertiz III (Party-list, ACTS OFW), Jericho Jonas Nograles (Party-list, PBA), Richard Eusebio (Lone District, Pasig City), Frederick Siao (Lone District, Iligan City), Ma. Lucille Nava (Lone District, Guimaras), Ma. Theresa Collantes (3rd District, Batangas), Lorna Bautista-Bandigan (Lone District, Davao Occidental), Leopoldo Bataoil (2nd District, Pangasinan), Alfredo Garbin (Party-list, AKO BICOL), Angelina Tan (4th District, Quezon), Joseph Bernos (Lone District, Abra), Cesar Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes), Edgar Mary Sarmiento (1st District, Samar), Vilma Santos-Recto (6th District, Batangas), Cristina Roa-Puno (1st District, Antipolo City), Ma. Lourdes Aggabao (4th District, Isabela), Roger Mercado (Lone District, Southern Leyte), Manuel Jose Dalipe (2nd District, Zamboanga City), Gus Tambunting (2nd District, Paranaque City), Karlo Alexei Nograles (1st District, Davao City), Joey Sarte Salceda (2nd District, Albay), Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo (1st District, Lanao del Norte), Ana Cristina Go (2nd District, Isabela), Mark Aeron Sambar (Party-list, PBA), Jorge Almonte (1st District, Misamis Occidental), Isagani Amatong (3rd District, Zamboanga del Norte), Arlene Arcillas (1st District, Laguna), Kaka Bag-ao (Lone District, Dinagat Islands), Evelina Escudero (1st District, Sorsogon), Mark Go (Lone District, Baguio City), Virgilio Lacson (Party-list, MANILA TEACHERS), Carlito Marquez (Lone District, Aklan), Teodoro Montoro (Party-list, AASENSO), and Manuel Zubiri (3rd District, Bukidnon). (CONGRESS-PR)
