Bukidnon 3rd District Rep. Manuel Zubiri has batted for the passage of his bill seeking to institutionalize the “Adopt a Poor Household” program which will encourage the hiring of the head of a poor family either for a household or business establishment.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
The vice chairperson of the House Committee on Trade and Industry cited as crucial the private sector’s support to the government’s implementation of socio-economic relief measures aimed at easing the impact of COVID-19 to the country’s poorest of the poor.
“I implore the top two percent of the Philippine society to work hand-in-hand with the government on a program that will allow them to adopt a household by hiring the head of at least one family belonging to the poorest of the poor either as a worker in their respective households or businesses,” Zubiri said.
“Giving a household head a job with a rate equal to the minimum wage based on location is very doable and not difficult at all. This is patriotism at its finest with millions working as true patriots for the country,” he pointed out.
He filed House Bill No. 6734 seeking to institutionalize the Adopt a Poor Household program as a national poverty reduction program strategy and a human capital investment program.
Under the proposed "Adopt a Poor Household Program Act”, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is tasked to coordinate with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the selection of the poor households that may be included in the program.
The DSWD is also required to coordinate with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in making sure that the hire partnered with an adopting entity shall be protected by the provisions of the labor laws.
The DSWD and DOLE shall be the lead implementing agencies of the program.
“The adopting entity is not precluded from hiring more than one head of the family of a poor household. Neither is the adopting entity precluded from making his hire a permanent employee of his household or business entity,” the bill provides.
Under House Bill No. 6734, the Secretary of the DSWD, in coordination with appropriate government agencies with the participation of the local government units, shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations of the proposed Act within six months from its effectivity.