Gatchalian wants mandatory insurance coverage for construction workers

Senator Win Gatchalian wants construction workers to be provided with mandatory insurance coverage by their employers because of the hazardous work environment they work in.

Gatchalian filed Senate Bill 821, or the Construction Workers Insurance Act, which seeks to require employers of construction workers to provide mandatory group personal accident insurance coverage to guarantee quick and efficient delivery of indemnity to injured workers. The insurance coverage shall compensate a reasonable amount for an accident that will cause the disability or even the death of the worker.

"I believe that providing our construction workers with insurance coverage will compel their employers to adopt better safety mechanisms that will ensure the safety and security of their workers. Further, this will ensure quick and efficient delivery of indemnity to construction workers, which is the main intent of this measure," Gatchalian said.

As proposed, the duration of the insurance shall start from the commencement of the service of the construction worker until the completion of the construction project or upon the termination of the employment contract.

Also, the premiums to be paid to the insurance company shall be completely paid for by the employer and shall not be deducted from the wages of the construction workers. Minimum insurance coverage should be at least P75,000 for natural death, P100,000 for accidental death, P150,000 for death in the line of work, P50,000 for loss of both hands, P50,000 for loss of both feet, P50,000 for loss of one hand and sight of one eye, and P50,000 for loss of one foot and sight of one eye.

Under the proposed measure, construction workers will also be entitled to receive fair and prompt medical benefits in cases where the illness is directly attributable to or was developed in the course of employment.

"Hindi maikakaila na sa maraming pagkakataon, ang trabaho ng mga construction workers ay mapanganib kung kaya't kailangan nating pangalagaan ang kanilang kaligtasan at kalusugan," Gatchalian said.

Construction workers dapat bigyan ng mandatory insurance coverage --Gatchalian

Nais ni Senador Win Gatchalian na mabigyan ang mga construction worker ng mandatory insurance coverage ng kanilang mga employer dahil sa panganib na kanilang hinaharap sa kanilang trabaho.

Inihain ni Gatchalian ang Senate Bill 821, o ang Construction Workers Insurance Act, na nag-oobliga sa mga employer ng construction workers na magbigay ng mandatory group personal accident insurance coverage upang magarantiyahan ang mabilis at mahusay na paghahatid ng indemnity sakaling maaksidente ang mga manggagawa. Saklaw dapat ng insurance coverage ang naaayong halaga para sa aksidenteng nagdulot ng kapansanan o kamatayan sa isang manggagawa.

"Ang insurance coverage para sa ating mga construction worker ay makakatulong sa mga employer na makapagbigay ng mas mahusay na mga paraan para matiyak ang kaligtasan at seguridad ng kanilang mga manggagawa, na siyang pangunahing layunin ng panukalang batas," sabi ni Gatchalian.

Ayon sa naturang panukala, ang coverage ng insurance ay magsisimula sa unang araw ng pagtatrabaho ng construction worker hanggang sa pagkumpleto ng construction project o sa pagtatapos ng kontrata ng trabaho.

Dagdag ni Gatchalian, ang mga premium na babayaran sa insurance company ay magmumula sa employer at hindi dapat ibawas sa sahod ng mga construction worker. Ang minimum na insurance coverage ay P75,000 para sa natural death, P100,000 para sa accidental death, P150,000 para sa pagkamatay habang nasa trabaho, P50,000 kung nawalan ng parehong kamay, P50,000 kung nawalan ng dalawang paa, P50,000 kung nawalan ng isang kamay at isang paningin, at P50,000 kung nawalan ng isang paa at isang paningin.

Sa ilalim pa rin ng panukala, ang mga manggagawa sa konstruksyon ay magkakaroon din ng karapatan na makatanggap ng patas at agarang mga benepisyong medikal sa mga pangyayaring may kaugnayan sa trabaho.

"Hindi maikakaila na sa maraming pagkakataon, ang trabaho ng mga construction worker ay mapanganib kung kaya't kailangan nating alagaan ang kanilang kaligtasan at kalusugan," sabi ni Gatchalian.