Senator Cynthia Villar has expressed support for the proposal of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno to provide emergency employment to Filipinos.
Villar, in a statement, said she agrees that this would help stimulate the economy, which was stunted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting restrictions to contain it.
“Most Filipinos would really rather go back to work than to wait for aid or relief goods. It is more empowering for them if we let them earn their upkeep. I agree with Diokno that it provides a greater sense of self respect,” Villar said Tuesday.
“We will be hitting two birds with one stone with this recommendation—provide employment and provide the needed impetus to our economy, both are urgently needed with the prolonged Covid-19 infection. Jobs have a multiplier effect to the economy,” she added.
Diokno, in pushing his proposal, recently said granting jobs would be a fiscal stimulus as the country transitions to what he preferred to call as the “New Economy”, which focuses on quick disbursing, employment-creating programs.
The former budget secretary said the government spending could be increased by a percentage or two, equivalent to ₱200 billion to ₱400 billion to create two million jobs.
The jobs could be dispersed throughout the country, and hiring workers in green projects, public works projects, agriculture or health projects.
The workers will be paid 10 percent lower than the minimum wage rate in the region, will work for eight hours, five days a week, for seven months from June to December 2020.
“I agree with BSP Chief Diokno that our next priority after the health and safety of our people is providing employment to as many Filipinos as possible. That’s what people need right now to feed their families,” Villar said. (Vanne Terrazola)
