Help fathers rendered jobless by pandemic, lockdown get jobs: Pangilinan

AMID the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting joblessness among many padres de pamilya, Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Father's Day called on the government to urgently address the problems of hunger and insecurity by jump-starting the economy.

"Dapat sana ay masaya ang Father's Day, pero sa harap ng pandemya at sa makupad, kulang, at palpak na pagharap ng gobyerno sa problemang ito, patong-patong ang hirap at pasakit na nararamdaman ng maraming Pilipino, kabilang na ang mga tatay," he said.

Pangilinan, who himself is commemorating Father's Day with a grave threat to his outspoken daughter Frankie, pointed out that it is almost 100 days since the lockdown, and ordinary Filipinos and their very basic concerns have largely been ignored in the still-ongoing health crisis and the ballooning economic crisis.

"Hanggang ngayon, walang malinaw na plano at aksyon sa pagsugpo ng pandemya, na sabi ng World Health Organization ay nasa isang 'new, dangerous phase' ngayon. Pero sa kabila nito, kulang pa rin ang testing at contact tracing para sana maipagpatuloy na ang paghahanap-buhay ng milyong-milyong nawalan ng pagkakakitaan dahil sa lockdown," he said.

Pangilinan said many breadwinners are stuck in the city after the lockdown and even after it was eased, due to lack of government foresight and action to address the daily vital concerns of thousands of locally stranded individuals (LSIs).

"Merong mga magsasaka na nakipagsapalaran dito sa Metro Manila para maging construction worker pero naabutan ng lockdown at ngayon ay stranded dito at gusto nang umuwi sa probinsya, kung saan kahit papaano ay may makakain," said the senator, whose office launched a project to help LSIs.

"Hirap na hirap ang mga tatay (at nanay) sa kakaisip paano mapapakain ang mga anak. Nasasaid na ang mga savings ng nawalan ng trabaho. Marami na nga ang hindi na makakapag-enrol ng mga anak sa private schools. Tulad halimbawa ng mga drayber ng jeep, bus, at tricycle, hindi naman sila naghahanap ng abuloy kundi marangal na pagkakakitaan," he said.

The government ayuda is only an initial step, the harder job that now faces us is jump-starting the economy and restoring people's livelihoods, Pangilinan said.

"The combination of pandemic and hunger and joblessness are a recipe for disaster. Government has to act fast and smart. It has to address those gut issues quickly and effectively, and with compassion, bayanihan -- not with a militarist, strongman mindset," he said.