By Hannah L. Torregoza Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on April 27, Monday, said the government should provide wage subsidies to workers in the tourism and hospitality industry to prevent mass layoffs from a sector that has been badly hit by the COVID-19 crisis. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) “Talagang ini-expect ho natin sa tourism industry na wala ho talagang turista, kaya ho importante na itong mga negosyo ay mabigyan ng subsidiya, hindi ho para sa korporasyon kundi para sa mga empleyado para hindi ho sila matanggal sa trabaho (We really expected that our tourism industry would be hit hard, because there are no tourists. This is why it’s important that these businesses are provided subsidies, not for the corporations themselves but for their employees, so they don’t lose their jobs),” Gatchalian said in an interview over GMANews TV. The senator noted that in the hospitality industry, there are contractual and seasonal workers who deserve to be taken care of by the government. As such, Gatchalian said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) should expand its COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP), which aims to give financial assistance to formal workers. “Komplikadong sitwasyon talaga ang hinaharap natin ngayon pero ang unang dapat gawin ng ating pamahalaan ay siguraduhin na mapanatili ng mga tao ang kanilang trabaho at dapat tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang sweldo nila para hindi sila pumasok sa kahirapan (Our situation right now is really complicated, but the first thing the government should do is to ensure people will still have their jobs and they will still receive pay so they won’t be left in poverty),” Gatchalian said. “Pagdating sa airline , alam ko nag-forced leave sila for 30 days. Ibig sabihin gamitin mo lahat ng vacation at sick leaves mo, babayaran ka pa rin ng kompanya (When it comes to airline companies, I know most of them are on a 30-day forced leave, which means employees can use all their vacation and sick leaves and then the company will still pay them).” But since the enhanced community quarantine has been extended up to May 15, Gatchalian said this is where government should help. “Number one, puwedeng magbigay ng subsidy sa mga manggagawa nila, like sa mga porters at ground handling service. Bigyan sila ng direktang subsidy para at least may makuha. Ang ayaw natin ay ang matanggal sa trabaho itong mga trabahador na ito dahil walang pang-suweldo (Subsidies can be given to their workers, like porters and ground handling service crew. Give them direct subsidy. We don’t want these workers to lose their jobs because companies can’t pay for their salaries),” he stressed. “So ang gobyerno ang magbibigay ng subsidy through the corporations para tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang kanilang employment at meron silang matatanggap na subsidy (So the government can provide subsidy through the corporations, so they can enjoy continuous employment and they can receive the subsidy),” he explained. “Hindi lang ganun kalaki, hindi kaparehas ng kanilang suweldo, pero may makukuha sila para makatawid sa krisis na ito (It wouldn’t be much. It wouldn’t compare to their salaries, but it would be enough to help them get through this crisis),” he pointed out. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, stakeholders of the Philippines tourism industry have received the brunt of the health crisis, with hotels and airlines temporarily shutting down operations, incurring millions of losses. The Department of Tourism (DOT) has said that tourist arrivals have dropped to 41 percent in February due to the outbreak.