Two Catholic prelates have appealed to the government to grant subsidies to workers, particularly to those who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo and retired Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes issued the appeal in time for the Labor Day celebration on Saturday, May 1.

"The appeal is to give subsidies to workers who have lost their jobs due to the lock downs," Pabillo, head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on the Laity, said in an interview.

"My special appeal to the government on Labor Day is to consider the plight of so many people deprived of work because of the pandemic. Perhaps the government should subsidize the households of laid-off workers with monthly allocation of some amount of cash and goods such as rice and other food stuffs," said Bastes.

Bastes said the government should minimize spending on luxurious and unnecessary expenditures in favor of the poor citizens deprived of work caused by the pandemic.

"The budget of help for these people deprived of their right to work and compensation should be a priority," he said.

"I suggest that Congress should greatly increase the taxes of many multimillionaires and billionaires for the sake of the million poor Filipino laborers!" added Bastes.