THE government should consider increasing its cash aid to workers after the Luzon-wide lockdown was extended by two more weeks until April 30 to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, business and labor leaders said on Wednesday.

The state should also give workers monthly income subsidies equivalent to the minimum wage during the so-called enhanced community quarantine, while cutting paper requirements for eligibility, various groups said in an e-mailed joint statement.

Under the law, affected workers will get a one-time cash assistance of P5,000, which the groups said was not enough.

The leaders said they were committed to work with the Labor department “to ensure that government assistance to the workers are delivered in a timely and efficient manner.”

The business groups were made up of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. representing management.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Federation of Free Workers and Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa represented the labor sector.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte on March 16 ordered that Luzon be locked down for a month, suspending work, classes and public transportation to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. This week, he extended the lockdown by two more weeks until April 30.

The groups that called themselves the Leaders Forum said all workers in the formal economy, especially those on “no work, no pay” arrangements should receive government aid.

They also asked the government to simplify the application for cash aid from the Labor department by requiring only one instead of two of six documents, including pay slips and certified payrolls. The agency should allow workers to submit requirements directly using an online portal, and fast-track the procedure by allowing both its national and regional offices to process applications, they said.

Meanwhile, the aid can be deposited directly in the savings or payroll accounts of workers, or by the employers through checks issued to workers, uncrossed and encashable. The e cash aid can also be released through remittance services or mobile wallets, the groups said.

For accountability, the Labor department should relax accounting rules and notify employees or employers through e-mail or a text message on the status of their application for aid within three days, they said.

The agency should also disclose the budget allotted for the aid program per region to ensure transparency, with daily updates including the amount released, number of workers covered and number of applications, approvals and disapprovals. The Labor department should also state the reasons when rejecting an application for aid, they said. — Gillian M. Cortez

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR