By J. Jala | 03:25 PM June 22, 2020
Bohol 2nd district Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado filed a bill for the hazard pay for all frontliners and other essential workers during pandemics, epidemics, outbreaks, natural or man-made disasters and other public health emergencies.
Aumentado, the chairperson of the House Committee on Science and Technology, filed House Bill No. 6796, citing the need for the government to strengthen the support to frontrunners and other essential workers during health emergencies “to ensure their financial security.”
Covered by the bill are all frontliners— regular, contractual, or job order employees, including the barangay health workers.
He said the medical health workers such as doctors, nurses, medical technologists and other health workers, and other workers in the frontlines such as law enforcement personnel, barangay workers and other essential employees deserve to receive additional compensation, given the risks they are facing during serious health crisis.
“They risk their lives and the health of their families as well, to serve and fight against the pandemic, and a number of them has paid the ultimate sacrifice in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities in order for us to live and to ensure our people are safe and our basic needs are met in the midst of this raging war against an unseen enemy,” he said in his bill’s explanatory note.
Under HB 6796, frontliners with direct contact with the patients or with high risk exposure to hazards, private or public employees who are required to report for duty during pandemics, epidemics, outbreaks, natural or man-made disasters and other public health emergencies are entitled to receive an additional P1,000 compensation per day of work without tax.
While, frontrunners and other essential workers of public and private sectors who are required to report for duty during pandemics, epidemics, outbreaks, natural or man-made disasters and other public health emergencies shall receive an additional P500 compensation per day of work without tax.
“It is but fitting to entitle our frontrunners to hazard pay in recognition of their sacrifices and risks encountered in their service to humanity and the nation,” Aumentado said.
