Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO, 7583

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

AN ACT GRANTING BENEFITS TO MEDICAL WORKERS, PROVIDING FOR THE
PROTECTION AND ADVANCING THE WELFARE OF MEDICAL FRONTLINERS ,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The crisis caused by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented in modern
history.! Government lockdowns here and abroad have caused the highest unemployment
numbers since the Great Depression.? Businesses across the country have been forced to
temporarily or permanently lay-off their workers.? Millions of Filipinos are struggling to put
food on the table while government programs to address the real danger of hunger turn out
to be lacking.‘ As of April 2020, the unemployment rate in the Philippines is at 17.7 percent,
higher than the 10.3% unemployment rate recorded in the 1998 recession, while the labor
force participation rate is at 55.6%, the lowest in the history of the Philippine Labor Market.$
Government offices whose primary mandate is to protect the rights of labor from abuse by
management were forced to close down due to the pandemic.* Even before the crisis, Filipino
workers were already among the most unprotected in the world ” yet it seems a crisis has
forced workers to take even a greater blow. Labor is left without a voice as both the

* Gita Gopinath, The Great Lockdown: Worst Economic Downturn Since the Great
Depression, IMFBlog (2020) available at https://blogs.imf.org/2020/04/14/the-great-lockdown-worst-
economic-downturn-since-the-great-depression/

2 Andrew Soergel, Unemployment Highest Since Great Depression as Coronavirus Collapses
Labor Market U.S. News & World Report (2020) available at https://www.usnews.com/newsinational-
news/articles/2020-05-08/unemployment-highest-since-great-depression-as-coronavirus-collapses-
labor-market

* ABS-CBN News Report, Over 2,000 companies declared permanent closure, redundancy or
retrenchment: DOLE (2020), ABS-CBN News Online (2020) available at https:/inews.abs-
cbn.comivideo/business/06/09/20/over-2000-companies-declared-permanent-closure-redundancy-or-
retrenchment-dole

* Michael Beltran, The Philippines’ Pandemic Response: A Tragedy of Errors, The Diplomat
(2020) available at https:/Ahediplomat. com/2020/05/the-philippines-pandemic-response-a-tragedy-of-
errors!

5 Statement of Secretary Silvestre H. Bello Ill on the April Labor Force Survey, Department of
Labor and Employment(2020) available at https:/www.dole. gov.phinews/statement-of-secretary-
silvestre-h-bello-ii-on-the-april-labor-force-survey!

® NLRC COVID-19 Advisory No. 5 (2020)

7 International Trade Union Confederation, The 2019 Global Rights Index: The World's Worst
Countries for Workers (2019), available at https://www ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/2019-06-ituc-global-rights-
index-2019-report-en-2.pdf



government and their employers claim to be fellow victims of the crisis. Filipinos have been
stripped of their dignity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives forever. Thousands of our countrymen
have fallen ill while millions are going hungry. The suffering is unimaginable. We have the
responsibility in Congress to ensure this suffering is mitigated.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a war of sorts. It is a war against disease. It is a war against
hunger. This bill seeks to ensure our soldiers in this war, our medical frontliners, are given the
benefits they deserve. We must take care of our medical frontliners if they are too effectively
take care of the sick among us. In spite of the economic crisis the world is facing, the welfare
of our medical frontliners must be protected.

On behalf of the people of Parafiaque City’s Second District, and for the common good
of the Filipino people, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

: YRA S, TAMBUNTING
[ District, Parafiaque City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 7583

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

AN ACT GRANTING BENEFITS TO MEDICAL WORKERS, PROVIDING FOR THE
PROTECTION AND ADVANCING THE WELFARE OF MEDICAL FRONTLINERS ,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Frontline Medical Workers
Benefits and Welfare Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy and Coverage. - It is hereby declared the policy of the
State to ensure the welfare of medical workers in recognition of their indispensable role in the
healthcare system of our country, particularly in times of a pandemic or public health
emergency. The provisions and benefits of this Act shall be given to public and private medical
workers who are actively engaged in treating patients affected by a pandemic or national
health emergency. The provisions of this Act shall only apply during a pandemic or public
health emergency as deciared by the National Government.

SECTION 3. Benefits for Medical Workers. - The following benefits shall be provided to
medical workers:

1. A monthly allowance of Ten Thousand Pesos (PhP 10,000.00) for every month of the
pandemic or public health emergency;

2. A food allowance of Three Thousand Pesos (PhP 3,000.00) for every month of the
pandemic or public health emergency;

3. Apersonal protective equipment allowance of Two Thousand Pesos (PhP 2,000.00) for
every month of the pandemic or public health emergency ;

4, A transportation allowance of Two Thousand Pesos (PhP 2,000.00) for every month of
the pandemic or public health emergency ;

5. Free lifetime yearly vaccination from influenza, pneumonia, and other diseases to be
determined by the Department of Health for the medical workers and their respective
immediate families;

6. Free lifetime access to mental health services to be provided by the government; and

7. Free hospitalization in all government hospitals for 10 years from the end of the
pandemic or public health emergency for the medical workers and their respective
immediate families,


SECTION 4. Separability Clause. ~ If any provisions or part hereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain
valid and subsisting.

SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with
the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,