Manila Bulletin
Philippines
Gatchalian pushes for bridge loan packages to help small business pay employees' salaries during quarantine
Philippines
Gatchalian pushes for bridge loan packages to help small business pay employees' salaries during quarantine
Gatchalian pushes for bridge loan packages to help small business pay employees' salaries during quarantine
Published Mar 20, 2020 08:57 am
By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has urged the government to consider granting “bridge loan packages” to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) so they can provide for the salaries of their employees while the government’s enhanced community quarantine is in effect.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Gatchalian said the government should not forget businesses, especially the small and medium enterprises, that were affected by the government’s efforts to contain coronavirus disease (COVID-19). “Huwag natin kalimutan dito ang mga negosyante dahil itong mga negosyante kahit wala silang kita, ay nagpapasweldo (Let’s not forget our businessmen because even though they are not earning, they are paying out salaries),” Gatchalian said in a recent radio interview. “Kaya mungkahi natin, isang loan package fund sa mga negosyante natin, lalo na 'yung mga maliliit, para 'yung loan na 'yun magagamit sa pang-sweldo sa kanilang mga empleyado (That’s why our proposal is to come up with a loan package fund for our businessmen, especially the small enterprises, so they can use the loan to pay their employees' salaries),” he said. He also urged business owners to relax their ‘no work, no pay’ policy. At the same time, Gatchalian pushed for the immediate release of the P1.3-billion COVID Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) or the P5,000 per worker financial aid in private establishments. The senator said the problem is that the assistance package can only be released within two weeks once all the applications of beneficiaries are received at the regional offices of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Their employers are also required to submit their COVID-19 precautionary measure reports. “The problem with government is red tape and we need to release the funds now,” he said. He said workers displaced by the enhanced community quarantine triggered by the coronavirus pandemic deserve to be compensated by now. “Hindi na natin dapat pinaghihintay pa ang mga apektadong empleyado, dahil kapag hindi natin kaagad maibigay 'yan, baka bukas makalawa makita natin sila uli sa mga kalsada para maghanap ng kitang iuuwi sa kanilang mga pamilya (we should not let the affected employees wait because we might see them again on the streets trying to earn for their families),” the lawmaker said. He said the DOLE should reduce the requirements so that beneficiaries can immediately enjoy their subsidies. DOLE, he also said, can utilize the different local government units (LGUs) to help in identifying their constituents covered by the program. On the part of the informal sector workers, Gatchalian said an emergency employment assistance will be given by DOLE.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Gatchalian said the government should not forget businesses, especially the small and medium enterprises, that were affected by the government’s efforts to contain coronavirus disease (COVID-19). “Huwag natin kalimutan dito ang mga negosyante dahil itong mga negosyante kahit wala silang kita, ay nagpapasweldo (Let’s not forget our businessmen because even though they are not earning, they are paying out salaries),” Gatchalian said in a recent radio interview. “Kaya mungkahi natin, isang loan package fund sa mga negosyante natin, lalo na 'yung mga maliliit, para 'yung loan na 'yun magagamit sa pang-sweldo sa kanilang mga empleyado (That’s why our proposal is to come up with a loan package fund for our businessmen, especially the small enterprises, so they can use the loan to pay their employees' salaries),” he said. He also urged business owners to relax their ‘no work, no pay’ policy. At the same time, Gatchalian pushed for the immediate release of the P1.3-billion COVID Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) or the P5,000 per worker financial aid in private establishments. The senator said the problem is that the assistance package can only be released within two weeks once all the applications of beneficiaries are received at the regional offices of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Their employers are also required to submit their COVID-19 precautionary measure reports. “The problem with government is red tape and we need to release the funds now,” he said. He said workers displaced by the enhanced community quarantine triggered by the coronavirus pandemic deserve to be compensated by now. “Hindi na natin dapat pinaghihintay pa ang mga apektadong empleyado, dahil kapag hindi natin kaagad maibigay 'yan, baka bukas makalawa makita natin sila uli sa mga kalsada para maghanap ng kitang iuuwi sa kanilang mga pamilya (we should not let the affected employees wait because we might see them again on the streets trying to earn for their families),” the lawmaker said. He said the DOLE should reduce the requirements so that beneficiaries can immediately enjoy their subsidies. DOLE, he also said, can utilize the different local government units (LGUs) to help in identifying their constituents covered by the program. On the part of the informal sector workers, Gatchalian said an emergency employment assistance will be given by DOLE.