Senator Lito Lapid has filed a bill which seeks to amend RA 11261 otherwise known as the “First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act” to extend the waiver of fees and charges to jobseekers who have lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under Senate Bill 2090, all government agencies and instrumentalities, including Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), Local Government Units (LGUs), and government hospitals shall not collect fees or chargers from jobseekers who lost their job during the COVID 19 pandemic.
This, as a result of authorized causes such as installation of labor-saving devices, redundancy, retrenchment, closure or cessation of business operations, or diseases.
The waiver of payment is for fees or charge paid in connection with the application for and the granting of licenses, proofs of identification, clearances, certificates or other documents usually required in the course of employment locally or abroad.
“Dapat nang saklolohan ang mga kababayan nating nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa pandemyang ito,” Lapid said.
“Mag-iisang taon na simula nang unang ipatupad ng ating gobyerno ang lockdown dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic pero kahit wala ng lockdown, hanggang ngayon dama pa rin ng marami sa ating mga kapatid ang hirap lalo na ang mga biglang nawalan ng trabaho. Nariyan ang mga nagtyatyagang pumila para sa ayuda, mga PUV driver na namamalimos na lamang sa mga kalsada at mga empleyadong napatalsik sa trabaho dahil na rin sa mga naluging negosyo,” the veteran legislator stressed.
“Kaya para makaahon ang mga kababayan natin sa hirap na ito, dapat tulungan natin silang mabilis na makahanap ng trabaho at isang paraan ay mailibre sila sa mga bayarin lalo sa mga dokumentong kailangan nilang iprisenta oras na mag-apply na sila sa bagong trabaho,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
Aside from the health sector, the effect of the current pandemic in our society is also severe in the labor sector.
“In October 2020, underemployment and unemployment rates stood at 14.4% and 8.7%, respectively.”
Based on the October 2020 Labor Force Survey, underemployment and unemployment rates stood at 14.4% and 8.7%, respectively.
At the regional level, three regions reported double-digit unemployment rates namely: National Capital Region (NCR) (12.4%), Ilocos Region (11.5%) and CALABARZON (11%).
According to the same survey, 12.7% of workers who are forced or limited to work less than 40 hours per week (or on a part-time basis) cite the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), lockdown or the COVID 19 pandemic as the cause for such.
Furthermore, 8.6% and 3.2%, respectively, of the latter demographic said that they are out of work because of poor business conditions or reduction in clients/work.
“Jobseeker must submit a duly issued certificate of employment or notice of termination, or in absence thereof, a barangay certification.”
Meanwhile, the senator’s bill proposes that in order to qualify for the benefit of waived fees, the jobseeker must submit a duly issued certificate of employment or notice of termination, or in absence thereof, a barangay certification which shall be issued free of charge.
“Ang gusto ko lang masiguro ay magawa ng ating gobyerno ang lahat ng makakaya nito para matulungan ang mga nawalan ng trabaho ngayong may pandemya,” he stressed.
“Malaking bagay ito para mapabilis ang pag-recover ng ating mga kababayan at oras na mangyari ito, malaki rin ang ambag nito para makaahon ang ating ekonomiya. Malaking tulong sa ngayon na mapadali ang paghahanap ng trabaho para sa ating mga kababayan para agad din silang makatayo sa kanilang sariling paa, may ayuda man na ibigay ang gobyerno o wala,” Lapid concluded.