Senatorial candidate Guillermo Eleazar on Thursday called for the immediate approval of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) proposal to provide a PHP5,000 wage subsidy to around 1 million minimum wage earners to help them cope with rising consumer prices.

“Bagamat unti-unti nang nakakabawi ang ekonomiya, matagal pa bago tuluyang makatayo nang lubusan ang mga manggagawa na pinadapa ng pandemya at ng pagtaas ng mga bilihin dahil sa pagsipa ng presyo ng produktong petrolyo (While the economy has been recovering gradually, it will still take time before workers hard hit by the pandemic get on their feet again as they are now being affected by the spike in oil prices),” he said in a statement.

Eleazar said the grant of wage subsidy will also help the government in its efforts to revive the economy as this will stimulate spending.

DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier proposed the provision of a wage subsidy worth PHP5,000 to at least 1 million workers in small enterprises who are hardest hit by the pandemic and the quickening inflation mainly driven by unabated oil price hikes.

The National Capital Region-Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (NCR-RTWPB) earlier said a fresh petition asking for a PHP470 wage hike was filed by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) after its first petition seeking the same amount was rejected.

Improve mental health services

Meanwhile, the senatorial candidate emphasized the need to ensure the mental wellness of Filipinos amid the Covid-19 pandemic, especially for parents who have to juggle household chores and the pressure of assisting their children in online classes.

Mental illness remains a taboo in a major part of the country although it has been slowly opened to the public when it became a national concern due to the pandemic.

According to the Department of Health, at least 3.6 million Filipinos have been documented to experience mental and neurological disorders in 2020. When the pandemic hit in the same year, the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) revealed that it had received at least 11,017 calls seeking mental health assistance.

He said one of the most affected sectors is the parents that had to cope with the added stress brought about by the cancellation of face-to-face classes.

During his stint as national police chief, Eleazar prioritized the mental well-being of all police personnel through the conduct of regular psychological counseling and evaluation.

Similarly, Eleazar said he wants to adopt this program on a national scale if ever he wins a Senate seat.

He vowed to strengthen the Philippine Mental Health Act in the Philippines and establish an assistance desk in every barangay so that the mental health needs of the people will easily be addressed.

He said barangay health workers should be trained so that they can handle individuals seeking mental health assistance.

Eleazar said that a bigger portion of the health budget should also be allocated to improve the mental health services in the country, particularly in maintaining the operations and facilities of psychiatric hospitals and hiring more government mental health workers that would cater to the needs of Filipinos suffering from mental health issues. (PNA)