Legarda Continues Push in Addressing Unemployment, Healthcare, and Education Issues

During a Uniteam campaign sortie held in Las Piñas City over the past week, senatorial candidate Loren Legarda called for stronger efforts to be exerted in strengthening employment creation, facilitation, and enhancement to address unemployment and poverty throughout the country. By providing better opportunities, she affirmed that every Filipino family will likewise have better access to basic services.

“Ang higit na kailangan ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino ngayon ay ang kakayahang kumita at magkaroon ng regular na mapagkukunan ng pang-araw araw na kita,” explained Legarda. (“What every Filipino family needs more today is the ability to earn and have a regular source of daily income.”)

“MSME programs are viable platforms for generating employment opportunities and better incomes for the Filipino people. Thus, we have to strengthen our MSMEs by providing assistance for their business to flourish.” Legarda has been actively engaging with government agencies to aid them in crafting budgets for their livelihood and employment programs.

Through her previous experience as the chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Legarda also ensures adequate funding and easy access to these programs such as the DOLE Tulong Panghanapbuhay Sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Worker (TUPAD), DOLE Pangkabuhayan, DOLE Government Internship Program (GIP) DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), TESDA Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), TESDA Special Training for Employment Program (STEP), and DTI Shared Service Facilities (SSF).

In 2021, the senatorial candidate allocated DOLE TUPAD funds to the City of Las Piñas which benefited vendors, drivers, and displaced workers. Legarda, who is also the co-author of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, pushed her commitment to supporting the education sector in an effort to significantly reduce the number of out-of-school youth.

The three-term senator has been urging for the passage of the proposed “One Tablet, One Student Act” that would provide each student with resources to cope with the blended learning system, and for the upgrading of the salary of public school teachers from entry-level Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15.

“Naging isang malaking hamon sa ating sektor ng edukasyon ang pandemya kaya patuloy po nating isusulong ang mga programa na naglalayong magbigay ng sapat na suporta sa mga guro at mag-aaral para mapanatili ang kalidad ng edukasyon para sa ating kabataan,” maintained Legarda. “Hindi rin natin dapat kaligtaan ang pangangailangan ng ating mga guro na patuloy na dumadaing sa mababang sahod na kanilang natatanggap sa kabila ng serbisyong kanilang ibinibigay.”

(“The pandemic has become a major challenge for our education sector so we will continue to promote programs that aim to provide adequate support to teachers and students to maintain the quality of education for our youth. Nor should we overlook the need of our teachers who continue to complain about the low wages they receive despite the service they provide.”)

Legarda had also just inaugurated the first polyclinic in Libertad, Antique as well as the new Tagaytay Hospital, highlighting her priority to give people access to quality health care, especially amid the pandemic. “The health of our people deserves to be on top of the priorities of government,” she added.

“Paigtingin po natin ang pagpapatupad ng Universal Healthcare Act. Patuloy po tayo magsusulong ng mga programa na sasagot sa mga pangangailangang medikal ng ating mga kababayan. Isusulong pa rin po natin na makapaglaan ng sapat na pondo para makapagpatayo ng mga ospital at healthcare facilities na kompleto sa kagamitan at may matatag na workforce na nabibigyan din ng benepisyong nararapat sa kanila.”

(“Let us intensify the implementation of the Universal Healthcare Act. We will continue to promote programs that meet the medical needs of our countrymen. We will continue to strive to provide sufficient funds to build hospitals and healthcare facilities that are fully equipped and have a strong workforce that is also given the benefits they deserve.”)

Various healthcare facilities have been established with the help of Legarda’s initiative and intervention in the national budget as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance. Adequate funding has likewise been placed under the Department of Health Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (DOH MAIP) to cater to more beneficiaries that needed healthcare assistance.

“Noon pa man, bilang Senador ay kumilos na po tayo, nagpasa ng mga batas, at siniguradong mapondohan ng mga ito sa paghahangad na mabigyan ng sapat na trabaho, oportunidad sa kabuhayan, tulong sa edukasyon, at de-kalidad na healthcare services ang ating mga kababayan,” said Legarda. “Nakita na po natin ang naging epekto ng mga programang ito para maiangat ang buhay ng maraming kababayan kaya ipagpapatuloy po natin ang ating nasimulan at sisiguraduhing mararamdaman ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino ang mga programa ng pamahalaan na ginawa at pinondohan para sa kanila.”

“As a Senator, we have always acted, passed laws, and ensured that they would fund our efforts to provide adequate employment, livelihood opportunities, educational assistance, and quality healthcare services for our countrymen. We have already seen the impact of these programs to improve the lives of many Filipinos so we will continue what we started and make sure that every Filipino family can feel the government programs made and funded for them.”