Sunday, December 20, 2020

More cash aid urged for workers with COVID. Inquirer Newsletter. December 21, 2020

News

WHO: Countries need to diversify vaccine portfolio

Britain’s health-care regulatory agency said anyone with a history of anaphylaxis, a serious overreaction to certain food or drugs that could be life-threatening, should not get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. There have been two reports of anaphylaxis and one report of a possible allergic reaction to the injection since the United Kingdom began mass vaccinating its population on Tuesday. —STORY BY REUTERS

Read more: https://philippinedailyinquirerplus.pressreader.com/@nickname19452911/csb_Np5oYVEKQUp_Lgn2vXAgs1hJDzfU3nFrIJSorBCQWelLIk8q6iVzu2YNEn8PizYG

Regions

P 93-M beach wall project in Romblon questioned

The private sector representative to the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) has sounded the alarm over the construction of a shore protection causeway, or a concrete seawall, along the shoreline of Carabao Island, a prime but unsullied tourist destination in Romblon province.—STORY BY Maricar Cinco

Newsletter / Join us

Has this been forwarded by a friend? Subscribe now to the Philippine Daily Inquirer Newsletter and get your latest news and important updates on COVID-19 and the enhanced community quarantine.

Get here

Banner story

More cash aid urged for workers with COVID

By Dona Z. Pazzibugan

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has called out a government corporation overseen by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) for giving cash assistance of only P10,000 to workers afflicted with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) despite the agency’s funds reaching as much as P90 billion.

The Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) has decided to peg money assistance for the workers, including front-line workers, at only P10,000, Bello disclosed during an online press briefing last week.

“Ten thousand, susmaryosep, not enough to buy pain relievers. We need to increase the benefits of our workers,” he said. He recommended that the cash assistance for workers who fall ill from COVID-19 should not be less than P50,000.

The ECC is mandated to provide compensation to government and private sector workers in case of work-related illness, injury or death. It has eight board members, six of them ex officio and two appointees of the President for a fixed term of office.

Bello serves as ex-officio board chair, while the presidents of the Social Security System and the Government Service Insurance System, chairpersons of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and the Civil Service Commission chairperson, executive director of the ECC secretariat, and representatives of employees and employers are members.

The ECC has “P90 billion in funds just sleeping in the bank. It’s earning a lot but the workers are deprived of getting enough benefits,” Bello said.

‘Ang kunat!’

“Do you know why the ECC’s funds have ballooned? Ang kunat! (So stingy!). Imagine we’re talking of employees compensation,” he added.

He chided the commission’s executive director and presidential appointee, Stella Zipagan-Banawis, for likewise being “makunat (stingy).”

Editorial

Back to square one

Last week, hopes of finally rehabilitating Naia abruptly vanished, casting an uncertain future over the project and dealing a big blow to President Duterte’s flagship 'Build, build, build' infrastructure program. The board of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), an attached agency of the Department of Transportation, revoked the original proponent status (OPS) of Megawide GMR, without citing any reason.

Read full story: opinion.inquirer.net