Bills for the poor, working class advance

FIVE bills directly involving workers, laborers, and farmers are at advanced stages of progress through the legislative bill: HB 6152 (compressed work week); HB 5670 (free irrigation service); HB 5240 (national land use policy); HB 6112 (safety devices in PUVs); and HB 5745 (coconut trust fund).

As party-list representative of the working class, I worked with my col- leagues in the House and pushed for these bills. These bills address longstanding and persistent issues that have beset workers.

When the compressed work week gets implemented, some workers can have three full days of quality time for family and rest.

The free irrigation service is one of the priorities of the Duterte administration and has strong multi-partisan support. It will benefit hundreds of thousands of farmers and their families.

National land use legislation has long-eluded government and advocates for agrarian reform, but has finally gathered enough momentum to pass the House on third reading and is now with the Senate.

Safety devices on PUVs will help save many lives. The next challenge is to make it affordable for PUV operators and drivers.

Finally, the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Trust Fund, an issue imbued with Martial Law history.

These are five very significant bills. I ask the public to stand with the House in finally making these bills part of the laws of our land.

Aside from these five bills, there are also five more bills which directly address poverty. The Magna Carta of the Poor (HB 5811) was recently sent to the Senate.

- Representative Teodoro “Ted” G. Montoro

Aasenso Party-list