AKBAYAN Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula on Monday slammed reports of missing names of vendors and transport workers from the government’s aid master lists, calling for a law to protect informal workers from exclusion in subsidy programs.
Rep Ismula said House Bill No. 8628 or the Magna Carta of Workers in the Informal Economy will mandate a national registry to ensure every street vendor and jeepney driver is automatically included in future relief rollouts.
“Hindi pwedeng laging ‘pila at bawi’ ang kapalaran ng ating mga kapatid na manininda at tsuper tuwing may krisis. Ang batas na ito ang magsisigurong walang maiiwang manggagawa sa mga programa ng gobyerno (Our vendors and drivers shouldn’t be made to line up only to be turned away every time there is a crisis. This bill will ensure no worker is left behind in government programs),” Rep. Ismula said.
By institutionalizing the sector, the bill aims to transform informal work from a “last-resort” livelihood into a protected profession with guaranteed access to SSS, PhilHealth, and emergency cash transfers.
Beyond the official registry, the bill will mandate government to subsidize social security contributions for workers below the poverty threshold, ensuring a safety net is active long before prices spike.
The bill also protects “street workplaces,” requiring local governments to provide designated vending zones and prohibiting the arbitrary confiscation of goods during clearing operations.
“Dahil long-term ang magiging epekto ng giyera sa Middle East, dapat long-term din ang solusyon ng gobyerno. Higit pa sa one-time ayuda, dapat isiguro ng gobyerno na bawat manggagawa ay may laban sa panahon na mawalan sila ng kita o magasakit sila. Walang iwanan dapat (This long-term crisis needs a long-term solution. Beyond one-time aid, the government should ensure that every worker is supported in times of emergencies such as sickness or loss of livelihood),” Rep. Ismula said.
The bill is filed by the Akbayan Reform Bloc including Akbayan Partylist representatives Chel Diokno, Percival Cendaña, and Dadah Kiram Ismula, and Dinagat Island Rep. Kaka Bag-ao.
