Hontiveros pushes for maternity cash benefits for pregnant workers in informal sector

Senator Risa Hontiveros has filed a bill seeking maternity cash aid for pregnant workers in the informal sector to help boost the economy and improve the health of mothers and infants nationwide.

Hontiveros, Chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, said Senate Bill No. 2175 or the Maternity Benefit for Women in the Informal Economy Act of 2021, will enhance the existing RA 11210 or Expanded Maternity Leave Law to require government to give out a direct maternity cash aid for all pregnant workers in the informal sector.

"Dahil may krisis sa bansa, lahat ng tao sa tahanan ay napipilitang mag-ambag sa gastusin. Kaya tuloy napakaraming mga buntis ang patuloy sa pagkayod, kahit pa sa ilalim ng informal economy kahit wala silang maaasahang maternity benefits dito. Malapit man silang manganak, nagtatrabaho pa rin sila sa mga palengke at mga serbisyong home-based dahil wala silang maiuuwing kita kung hindi sila magpupursige. Kailangan natin silang tulungan," Hontiveros said.

She explained that under her bill, all pregnant workers in the informal economy who are not members of the Social Security System (SSS) will be entitled to a one-time maternity cash aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The amount of the cash aid will be equivalent to the prevailing minimum wage in the worker's region multiplied by 22 days.

Funding for the cash aid, Hontiveros said, would be collected from excise taxes on sweetened beverages, alcohol and tobacco products, and may be augmented by appropriations under the yearly national budget.

The senator said that measure could also serve as an "economic booster" since more families will have larger disposable income if they do not have to spend on medical expenses brought on by the baby's poor health or nutrition. She also cited studies saying that the cost of providing a maternity cash benefit for all pregnant informal workers to allow time to breastfeed in the country would be just 5 percent of funds for health programs needed to deal with poor breastfeeding.

Hontiveros added that the bill is a 'necessary upgrade' of the Expanded Maternity Leave Law - which she authored and sponsored - so more working mothers and infants, especially those from poor households, will gain from maternal benefits.

"Kung may maternity leave si working nanay, mas magkakaroon siya ng panahon para alagaan ang kalusugan at nutrisyon ng kanyang bagong-silang na anak. Mas may oras siya para sa breastfeeding at iba pang kailangan ni baby," Hontiveros said.

"Ang pagpasok sa informal economy ay nagpapakita ng katibayan ng ating mga kabarong nagdadalang tao. Ngunit huwag nating kalimutan na ang pagbubuntis ay isang katangi-tanging panahon sa buhay ng mga babae. Ang pagpapahalaga sa karapatan ng mga buntis ay pagtataguyod ng kinabukasan ng tahanang Pilipino," she concluded.

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*Please see attached Senate Bill No. 2175