“If we value our children then we should prioritize the welfare of those who care for them.”
These were the sentiments of Laguna 3rd District Rep. Sol Aragones, who called on her colleagues to finally pass the Magna Carta of Daycare Workers, which would put an end to “endo” daycare workers and require that they be regularized and be given proper benefits.
The word “endo” is short for “end of contract,” and refers to contractual workers who are not given regular benefits nor security of tenure; instead, their contracts are repeatedly renewed, allowing their employees to avoid having to spend for their benefits.
Aragones, who filed House Bill 3407, said that Congress should prioritize the measure, which was passed on third reading in the last Congress but was not enacted into law.
“I am hopeful that this measure will become law under the current administration, as the President has been an outspoken critic of the ‘endo’ practice exploited by businessmen to circumvent our labor laws,” Aragones said.
According to the lady legislator, daycare workers “deserve to be treated like regular workers, as they perform a valuable service. Not only do they allow parents to attend to work and support their families, daycare workers also do their share to shape the minds of our young constituents.”
“By guaranteeing the rights of the day care workers to security of tenure, humane working conditions and a living wage, the State will, by extension, be contributing to the improvement of the quality of early childhood care and education,” explained the solon.
“It will therefore be fulfilling its mandate to defend and protect children’s rights as well as guaranteeing the rights of all its workers.”
This Magna Carta of Daycare Workers covers all persons providing Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) in all government-run day care centers and non-stock, non-profit day care centers run by volunteers, people’s organizations, associations and non-government organizations. If passed, it would guarantee security of tenure for daycare workers as provided under existing laws.
Daycare workers not meeting requirements, specifically training in ECCD, shall not be disqualified, but will be required to finish a day care worker training course to be administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development within one year from the effectivity of the law.
Like regularly employed workers, daycare workers would be entitled to benefits like Philhealth, Social Security (either under the Government Service Insurance System or the Social Security System), Cost of Living Allowance, overtime pay, and retirement benefits.