Re-electionist Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Sunday vowed to pursue measures institutionalizing tax cuts for work-from-home employees, additional benefits to construction workers, and condoning penalties for unpaid Social Security System (SSS) contributions of household employers.

Gatchalian said that aside from the usual wage increases, additional benefits in the form of insurance packages, tax deductions, and social insurance coverage will help alleviate the financial concerns of workers, particularly those daily wage earners.

As work-from-home or telecommuting is now the new normal, the senator said there is a need to legislate tax deductions on employees working from home to cushion the blow on additional expenses for electricity, internet connectivity and other work-related expenses.

Gatchalian co-authored Senate Bill No. 1706 which proposes a reduction of P25.00 from the taxable income for every hour of work of telecommuting employees to increase their net pay and the legislation of allowances or other benefits not exceeding P2,000 per month granted by their employers as non-taxable benefits.

“Sa pambihirang krisis tulad ng pandemya, namulat tayo sa mga makabagong pamamaraan ng paghahanap-buhay (With a crisis like this pandemic, we are now aware of the new ways of working),” Gatchalian noted.

“Malaki ang tulong ng panukalang batas sa ganitong mga panahon ng kagipitan upang mapawi ang mga alalahanin sa pang-araw-araw na mga bayarin (The measure will greatly help especially during this time in order to lessen the burden brought about by day-to-day expenses),” the lawmaker said.

Gatchalian also vowed to work for the passage of the measure mandating an accident and life insurance coverage for construction workers.

This is because he expects the country’s construction sector to rebound driven by improved economic conditions.

In Gatchalian’s Senate Bill No. 741 or the Construction Workers Insurance Act, all workers employed in a construction project or site shall be provided a group personal accident insurance coverage by the employer.

The insurance coverage will start from the commencement of the service of the worker until the completion of the project or upon the termination of the employment contract.

“The insurance coverage shall compensate a reasonable amount for an accident that will cause the disability or death of the worker. This may not completely erase the pain but it surely will not hurt to alleviate the loss,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian has also filed Senate Bill 744 providing for the condonation of penalties for unpaid SSS contributions of household employers relative to RA 7655 and RA 10361, also known as the Domestic Workers Act or Batas Kasambahay.

He said the bill primarily seeks to make a prospective application of the law while at the same time afford the kasambahay (household worker) the benefit and mantle of protection which the social insurance extends

“The fundamental precept of social justice is that ‘those who have less in life must have more in law.’ Kung mapapalawig natin ang mga benepisyo ng mga manggagawa, maiaangat natin ang antas ng kanilang pamumuhay (If we are able to expand workers’ benefits, we can improve the quality of their lives),” Gatchalian said.