UniTeam Senate bets vow to improve labor policies

MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial candidates Loren Legarda and Jinggoy Estrada have expressed support for labor policies of the Duterte administration and vowed to improve them should they win in the May polls.

The returning senators, both in the ticket of the Ferdinand Marcos Jr.-Sara Duterte tandem, specifically cited the programs and policies of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for local workers and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Legarda said she would push for institutionalization of the DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) if elected senator.

“We will make sure that our government’s livelihood programs like the DOLE’s TUPAD program will become a law,” the three-term senator and now House deputy speaker vowed during last Friday night’s episode of the Commission on Elections E-Rally that features senatorial candidates.

TUPAD is the government’s program for workers displaced at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic during the past two years. However, it only has limited budget under Bayanihan 1 and 2 laws and is not a regular government program funded under the annual national budget.

Legarda has proposed the consolidation of TUPAD with other employment programs such as the community empowerment for science and technology of the Department of Science and Technology, shared services facilities of the Department of Trade and Industry and the sustainable livelihood programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, to come up with one livelihood program law.

On the other hand, Estrada supported the DOLE’s suspension of OFW deployment to Saudi Arabia until the financial claims of some 11,000 OFWs are resolved.

The former Senate president pro tempore said the government should aggressively pursue negotiations with the Saudi Arabian government to settle P4 billion worth of salary claims of OFWs with their employers that date as far back as 2016.

“While I support the suspension, DOLE should move faster in representing the concerned OFWs and in resolving the issue once and for all since their livelihood and that of their families are at stake due to the delay,” stressed Estrada, a champion of labor rights.

Estrada noted that while the deployment ban sends a good message to the Saudi Arabian government about the Philippine government’s strong resolve to protect its citizens, “many OFWs and families who rely on them suffer as collateral damage.”

‘The good one’

Estrada’s half-brother, Sen. JV Ejercito, is adopting “the good one” slogan for the May elections, but maintained that the catchphrase has no other meaning than to represent his public service records.

Ejercito said “the good one” was coined in 2019 to boost his poor rating during the last few weeks of the race. He failed to make it to the Magic 12 in the senatorial race, landing in 13th place.

“The good one means a kind, good public servant and no corruption. It does not imply anything,” Ejercito noted.

Some people interpreted “the good one” as implying something connected with his half-brother Estrada’s also seeking a Senate seat.

“I am describing myself as a good performer for my good performance, good and clean, and good track record and as a good person. Nothing is implied,” Ejercito maintained.

He admitted that he and Estrada running for senator in May is “like 2019 all over again.” Not being a re-electionist and with Estrada also in the race, Ejercito admitted that his chances of winning will be affected.

“In this pandemic, all the problems exposed and exacerbated the weakness of the health care system, poor facilities, health care workers. I told myself, as the principal sponsor of the Universal Health Care Act, I can make a push in the proper implementation of the law,” Ejercito added.

The UHC Law mandates the institutionalization of cooperative intergovernmental decision-making and implementation, particularly in areas such as health impact assessment, health professional education and monitoring and evaluation of health system performance.

He said with proper implementation of UHC, all the problems in the health care system will be properly addressed: Poor hospital facilities, supply of health care workers, their salaries and all Filipinos are covered.

Child vaccinations

Saying that vaccination is the key to being able to return safely to face-to-face classes, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian emphasized the importance of vaccinating all eligible learners to further ensure the safe resumption of face-to-face classes nationwide.

The senator reiterated that based on available data and the advice of experts, children aged 5 to 11 will benefit from COVID-19 vaccines which are proven to prevent severe disease, hospitalization and death.

“Vaccination is the key for us to return safely to face-to-face classes. Many other countries have already vaccinated 5- to 11-year-olds and we have found that the vaccine is safe and effective against COVID-19,” added Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on basic education, arts and culture. – Cecille Suerte Felipe