Senator Sonny Angara welcomed the grant of hazard pay and a special risk allowance to public health workers who continuously serve the nation at this critical time, but emphasized that volunteers should also be included.
Administrative Order No. 26, which was issued last Monday, authorizes the grant of hazard pay to government personnel and enumerates the coverage and conditions.
Senator Sonny Angara called on the various agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to find ways to get the cash grants and other aid to the families affected by the enhanced community quarantine immediately.
At this time when almost all businesses have closed and movement of people is restricted due to the enhanced community quarantine to combat the spread of COVID-19, Angara noted that “people are becoming desperate and in need of assurance from its government that they will be taken care of.”
“Ngayon na nakakulong sa bahay ang marami sa ating kababayan dahil sa enhanced community quarantine dapat siguraduhin ng ating pamahalaan na meron silang makakain araw-araw.”
Senator Sonny Angara called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to work closely with the local government units (LGUs) to provide assistance to the families severely affected by the enhanced community quarantine that is in place to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus in the country.
Senator Sonny Angara called on the concerned government agencies to immediately clarify the reports about mall closures during the one month community quarantine period for Metro Manila considering the impact this will have on hundreds of thousands of employees.
“While we understand the need to act swiftly and decisively when it comes to controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the country, we should also consider the impacts of these actions on the public, particularly those who rely on daily wages to make ends meet,” Angara said.
Even as the Department of Education (DepEd) is deliberating on the use of the sablay as the standard garb for graduation rites, Senator Sonny Angara encouraged more schools to adopt this as a means to promote Filipino heritage and for practical purposes.
Angara said local government units around the country could take their cue from the Pasig City government and already use the sablay for the graduation ceremonies of their public elementary and high schools.
Now is the time to be careful and vigilant but don’t panic because there is no reason to do so.
Senator Sonny Angara said the “first local transmission” of the COVID-19 in the country did not come as too much of a surprise considering the number of people traveling in and out of the country regularly.
“What is important is that we are able to identify these cases, treat the infected and take all the necessary steps to prevent the disease from spreading,” Angara said.
With the announcement made by Philippine Airlines (PAL) that it has laid off 300 of its personnel, the government cannot afford to be complacent in addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 on the economy, Senator Sonny Angara said today.
“We have been spared from deaths caused by COVID-19 but sadly the pandemic has taken away the jobs of 300 hardworking men and women of our country's flag carrier,” Angara said.
Government was told to urgently craft a “resilience plan” that will allow the economy “to deftly evade” the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic and the shutdown of plants and back offices of Honda, Wells Fargo and other multinationals in the country.
The call was made by Sen. Sonny Angara as the Senate finance committee opens a series of hearings that will draw a roadmap to create world-class products and services that will proudly bear the “Tatak Pinoy” brand.
The Senate Committee on Finance is set to hold an inquiry tomorrow on the implementation of the government’s programs on industrialization and employment-generation to determine what these have accomplished so far, which ones are working and the next steps needed to ensure its sustainability.
Senator Sonny Angara is pushing for a review of the various programs for the country’s youth to see if these have been effective and to determine the next steps needed to further empower this sector of society.
As the chairman of the Committee on Youth, Angara filed Senate Resolution No. 320 to evaluate the efficacy of all existing government programs for the country’s youth “so that we’ll have an idea which one’s are working and relevant and which are not.”
