Rural work program bill goes to Senate plenary

A BILL providing temporary employment to Filipinos living in rural communities by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) was endorsed for plenary approval in the Senate.

Senate Bill No. 2119 creates the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) that will give temporary work to rural Filipino residents to rebuild infrastructure damaged by natural disasters or for disaster risk reduction programs.

Under the bill, qualified members of a poor family may perform unskilled labor for 45 to 90 days in a year. They are also not subject to the terms and conditions of regular employment.

Types of work under the program include development, construction and rehabilitation of agriculture-based livelihood assets damaged by natural disasters. Tasks include desilting of irrigation canals, development of paddy dikes, and rehabilitation of dams.

Other projects included the development or rehabilitation of common service facilities like post-harvest facilities and public markets, physical assets used to transport rural products like farm to market road and bridge construction, as well as other programs for the protection of natural and productive assets from disasters.

Qualified workers will receive compensation daily at the rate of not less than 75% of the prevailing minimum wage set the concerned Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB). Local government units may also provide additional allowances to cover other expenses such as transportation and food.

Workers are also granted the option to access micro-insurance as a form of social security in the event of accidents or death.

The local DSWD offices, in coordination with LGUs, may conduct a preliminary joint assessment of all poor individuals and families in rural areas who are interested to join the employment assistance program. The DSWD is also required to provide skills orientation and training, depending on the project.

The bill was sponsored to the plenary by Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV, vice chair of the Senate committee on social justice, welfare, and rural development, in place of committee chair Senator Leila M. de Lima who remains in detention.

It was authored by Senators Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, Juan Edgardo M. Angara, Joel J. Villanueva, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, and De Lima. —