Legarda calls for basic services and better opportunities for every Filipino family, and more support for MSMEs

Three-term Senator and Senatorial candidate Loren Legarda said that ensuring that every Filipino family has access to basic services and better opportunities will also help address unemployment and poverty.

Legarda also stressed that it is important that stronger efforts are exerted in strengthening employment creation, facilitation, and enhancement. Legarda made the statement during the Uniteam campaign sortie in Las Piñas City.

“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. 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 said.

Legarda, who chaired the Senate Committee on Finance, has been collaborating with government agencies not only in crafting their budgets but also in ensuring that livelihood and employment programs, such as 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), among others, are adequately funded, and are easily accessed by the people.

Last year, Legarda allocated DOLE TUPAD funds to the City of Las Piñas which benefited vendors, drivers, and displaced workers.

The co-author of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act also vowed for continued support for the education sector and the Filipino students to improve the quality of education and bring down the number of out-of-school youth.

Legarda has been pushing for the passage of the proposed “One Tablet, One Student Act” that would provide each student 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. 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,” Legarda said.

Legarda, who inaugurated the first polyclinic in Libertad, Antique, and the new Tagaytay Hospital this week, also ensured that she will continue to prioritize giving 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. 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,” Legarda said.

Through Legarda’s initiative and intervention in the national budget as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, funding was allocated for the construction of various hospitals, rural health units, and barangay health stations all over the country. Moreover, adequate funding was 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. 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,” Legarda concluded.***