MGA MANGGAGAWANG NAWALAN NG TRABAHO MAY BENEPISYO

NAGPAALALA si Deputy Speaker at 2nd Dist. Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel sa mga manggagawang nawalan ng trabaho dala ng pagkalat ng COVID-19, kabilang na ang nasa local tourism industry, na kuwalipikado sila para sa ‘one-time unemployment insurance benefit’ partikular kung sila’y miyembro ng Social Security System (SSS),

Kasabay nito, nagkakaisa namang nanawagan ang mga ranking official ng Kamara de Representantes sa publiko, lalo na sa mga residente ng Metro Manila, na magkaisa, maging matatag, mahinahon at lalong-lalo na masusing sundin ang inilatag na panuntunan sa pagrekomenda ng Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease na itinaas sa  ‘Code Red Sub-Level Two (2) ang bansa.

“Sa panahon na ito dapat buo ang Pilipino (sic)  at harapin ang hamon bilang isang lahi at bansa. This is one of the most alarming, disruptive and deadly crises we Filipinos and the rest of the world have faced in recent memory, one that comes with fatal consequences if we do not address this the right way,” apela ni Deputy Speaker at Basilan Rep.  Mujiv Hataman.

“Hindi ito ang panahon ng pagbabangayan. The only way we can get through this is through unity, and by working together and helping the government do its job of containing the virus,” dagdag pa niya.

Pinuri naman ni House Assistant Majority Floorleader at ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Niña Taduran ang maagap na aksiyon ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte gaya ng pag-aatas na isailalim sa community quarantine ang National Capital Region (NCR).

“52 Covid 19 positive cases might be a small number but waiting for it to increase before doing something is a recipe for disaster. I call on everyone to cooperate in these hard times, we should all be responsible with our actions. Do not panic and do not spread fear. Stay at home if you can or practice social distancing, at least one arm’s length from each other. There will be regular delivery of goods, and business operations in Metro Manila will continue despite the community quarantine, so everyone shouldn’t worry,” ayon sa ACT-CIS party-list lady representative.

Sa panig ni House Committee on Youth and Sports Development Chairman at 2nd Dist. Valenzuela City Rep. Eric Martinez, na isa sa dalawang mambabatas na nag-self quarantine, sinabi niyang dapat sundin ang nasabing direktiba ni Pangulong Duterte dahil ang layunin lamang nito ay makontrol ang galaw ng mga tao sa Metro Manila upang maiwasan ding kumalat pang lalo ang COVID-19.

Iginiit din ni Valenzuela City solon na kailangan ding mag-self quarantine sa loob ng 14 araw  ang mga taga-NCR na umuwi sa kani-kanilang probinsiya upang masigurong hindi magiging ‘carrier’ ng nasabing sakit ang mga ito.

“Please mag-quarantine muna kayo sa probinsiya pag-uwi n’yo, 14 days self-quarantine, kahit wala kayong nararamdaman. Iyon ang tunay na pagiging responsableng Filipino, kasi itong N-Cov kakaiba ito, hindi ibig sabihing wala kang sakit, hindi mo maipapasa ‘yung virus,” ang mensahe pa ni Martinez sa lahat, na ipinaabot niya sa pamamagitan ng Facebook live.

Samantala, sinabi ni Pimentel na bagama’t hindi kalakihan ang halaga, ang maganda sa nasabing financial benefit ng SSS ay hindi ito utang, ibig sabihin ay hindi obligadong bayaran o ibalik ang halaga ng manggagawa gustong mag-apply nito,

“All SSS members who get laid off, including overseas Filipino workers whose contracts have been cut short – such as those discharged by global cruise ship operators – are actually entitled to the unemployment insurance assistance.Under the law, workers who are covered by the SSS and who get involuntarily separated from their jobs get a one-off unemployment insurance payment equal to their average monthly salary (AMSC) credit.” Paliwanag ng Surigao del Sur congressman.

“Thus, if the worker’s AMSC is P20,000, he or she gets a one-time jobless insurance benefit of P20,000. To avail of the unemployment insurance handout, the laid off employee must have paid at least 36 monthly contributions to the SSS, 12 months of which should be inside the 18-month period immediately preceding the month of involuntary separation.” Sabi pa ni Pimentel.   ROMER R. BUTUYAN