Pagpapahalaga sa mga caregiver

IPINUPURSIGE ni Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ang pagpapahalaga sa mga caregiver o “paid employed persons who take care or attend to the physical and psycholo­gical needs of an infant, child or dependent adult who is disabled or whose health is impaired by sickness or old age affecting­ his/her activities of daily living.”

Ilan aniya sa mga maselan at mahalagang tungkulin ng mga caregiver ay ang mga sumusunod: 1) helping clients in daily activities and mobility restrictions to get out of bed, bathe, dress and prepare; 2) basic health services such as checking clients’ pulse rate, temperature and respiration rate; 3) helping clients with simple prescribed exercises and assisting them with medications administration; 4) advising families and patients on nutrition, cleanliness and household tasks; and 4) accompanying clients to appointments with doctors or on other errands.

Kaugnay nito ay iniakda niya ang Senate Bill 2261 (Caregivers Welfare Act) na naglalayong tiyakin ang mga polisiya at alituntunin para sa kapakanan ng mga caregiver, tulad ng: 1) maayos na employment contract; 2) working hours; 3) rest period of eight hours per day and at least 24 hour in a week; 3) sapat na suweldo (minimum na P7,000/month sa National Capital Region o NCR; P5,000/month sa chartered cities at first class municipalities; at P4,000/month sa ibang munisipalidad).

Ang sweldo ay dapat ibigay sa caregiver tuwing ikalawang linggo ng kaniyang pagtatrabaho. Ang mga Re­gional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) ay regular na mag-e-evaluate ng pasuweldo at benepisyo sa caregivers at magrerekomenda ng kaukulang adjustment ng mga ito kung kailangan.

Ang mga caregiver ay dapat ding may 13th month pay; annual service in­centive leave of five days with pay; at nagiging member ng Social Security System (SSS), PhiIHealth, at Pag-IBIG kung saan ay tutulungan sila ng employer sa premium payments or contributions.

Kailangan ding tiyakin ng employer ang ma­ayos at regular na pagkain at tulugan ng caregiver, gayundin ang sapat na pa­hinga at ayuda kung sakaling sila ay magkaroon ng sakit o sakuna sa pagtatrabaho.