With the rollout of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccines slated soon, Filipinos are still reeling from the repercussions brought about by the pandemic.

Anakalusugan Representative Mike Defensor called on the government agencies to hire around 700,000 casual employees, whose employment contracts expired last December 31, 2020.

“These casual, contractual, job-order (JO) personnel, or whatever we call them, should be rehired. We should not add to the joblessness in the country and to the suffering of our people caused by the pandemic by terminating their services,” he said.

Appealing to the House of Representatives, Defensor urged its members to initiate the move.

Defensor explained that the government, being the largest employer in the country, have sufficient funds to rehire the retrenched workforces.

“The funds for salaries we appropriate in the annual budget include compensation for these workers. So there will be funds in this year’s budget for their continued employment,” he added.

The signed 2021 national budget has allocated P18.2 billion for the House and P8.8 billion for the Senate, including a P1 billion increase.

In total, combined funding amounts to P28.5 billion.

Additionally, the Senate Electoral Tribunal received a P303 million funding, whereas its House counterpart has P272.5 million.

Photo Credit: Facebook/AnaKalusugan Partylist Cong. Mike Defensor