Villanueva: Public works ban should not lead to job losses

Please click here for the video statement

The 45-day public works ban that will take effect on March 25 should be implemented in a way that it "will not affect jobs nor delay the completion of infrastructure projects in calamity areas," Sen. Joel "TESDAMAN" Villanueva said.

"Employment should not be a casualty of election. And pandemic recovery should not take a back seat to polls," Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee, said.

"We have 10.1 million unemployed and underemployed. Let us not worsen this already bleak jobs picture," he added.

Villanueva noted that the number of workers in construction dipped to 4 million after pandemic lockdowns stopped work on public and private projects.

As share to GDP, government expenditures account for about 16 percent, "so any slowdown in public construction will drag down growth," the senator said.

Villanueva said halting construction of schools and hospitals "during summer when it is the best time to build before the rains come" will set back their completion.

"We should also take advantage of the 'good weather window' to fix farm infrastructure like roads and irrigation," he added.

Funding for P1.183 trillion worth of government infrastructure have been authorized in the 2022 national budget.

Villanueva said the government is still in a catch-up mode as a large chunk of 2020 and 2021 funds for infrastructure was shifted to boost health facilities and as aid to economically-hit households.

"If we press the 'pause' button, lalong atrasado na tayo," he warned.

Election laws and the Comelec resolution, however, "grant a wide leeway in the handing out of exemptions to the public works ban," Villanueva said.

"Ito ang assurance na konti lang ang maapektuhan ng tigil trabaho," Villanueva said.

Among projects exempted are those ongoing or awarded before March 25, as well as "emergency work necessitated by the occurrence of a public calamity."

"Kaya dapat ayon sa batas ang pagpapatupad ng public works protocol during the 45-day campaign period. Igalang ang exemptions," he said.

"Mahirap naman kung bababa tayo sa Alert Level 1, fully opened up ang ekonomiya, tapos may moratorium sa public construction," Villanueva further stated.

Villanueva: Trabaho, hindi dapat mawala dahil sa public works ban

Hindi dapat maapektuhan ang trabaho at pagkumpleto ng mga proyektong pang-imprastraktura sa mga lugar na tinamaan ng kalamidad ang 45 na araw na public works ban simula sa Marso 25, sinabi ni Sen. Joel "TESDAMAN" Villanueva

"Employment should not be a casualty of election. And pandemic recovery should not take a back seat to polls," sinabi ng chair ng Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resource Development.

"We have 10.1 million unemployed and underemployed. Let us not worsen this already bleak jobs picture," dagdag ni Villanueva.

Binanggit din ni Villanueva na bumaba sa 4 million ang bilang ng mga trabahador sa construction nang tumigil ang trabaho sa mga proyektong pampubliko at pribado dahil sa mga lockdown.

Bilang bahagi ng GDP, 16 na porsyento ang gastos sa gobyerno, kaya babagal ang pag-unlad sa bans amula sa kahit anong pag-antala sa public construction, ayon sa senador.

Sinabi ni Villanueva na ?papasok na rin ang bansa sa summer season na tamang panahon para tapusin ang mga infrastructure projects bago sumapit ang tag-ulan.

Tamang panahon na rin ito para ihanda ang mga farm infrastructure gaya ng farm-to-market roads at irigasyon, aniya.

Awtorisado sa 2022 national budget ang may P1.183 trilyon na pondo para sa pampublikong imprastraktura.

Sinabi ni Villanueva na naghahabol pa rin ang gobyerno dahil napunta sa health facilities at ayuda ang malaking bahagi ng pondo para sa imprastraktura noong 2020 at 2021.

"If we press the 'pause' button, lalong atrasado na tayo," babala ng senador.

Gayunpaman, pinapahintulutan ng batas eleksyon at resolusyon ng Comelec ang mga exemption sa public works ban, sabi ni Villanueva.

"Ito ang assurance na konti lang ang maapektuhan ng tigil trabaho," sabi niya.

Kasama sa mga exemption na ito ang mga proyektong nagpapatuloy at nagawarang bago ang Marso 25, gayundin ang "emergency work necessitated by the occurrence of a public calamity."

"Kaya dapat ayon sa batas ang pagpapatupad ng public works protocol during the 45-day campaign period. Igalang ang exemptions," sabi ni Villanueva.

"Mahirap naman kung bababa tayo sa Alert Level 1, fully opened up ang ekonomiya, tapos may moratorium sa public construction," dagdag niya.