Hontiveros bats for maternity benefits for women in 'informal economy'

Senator Risa Hontiveros called for the passage of Senate Bill 148 or the "Maternity Benefit for Workers in the Informal Economy Bill" which aims to expand the maternity benefits of non-SSS members.

"Siyempre dahil hindi sila regular members ng SSS bilang hindi sila empleyado at marami sa kanila ang di nakakayanan mag voluntary member dahil nga sa liit ng kita," said Hontiveros.

(They are not regular members of SSS because they are not employees and they also cannot afford to become voluntary members because they earn so little.)

The Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality chaired by Hontiveros is proposing a maternity benefit of minimum wage for forty-four days that will be provided by the government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

It proposes for the sin tax to fund the maternity benefit assistance program.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Lei Alviz on Tuesday, a study found that an estimated 250,000 women from the informal economy give birth each year.

This number includes contractual and volunteer workers. However, they are not granted benefits under Republic Act 11210 or the Expanded Maternity Leave Law.

The alliance of workers in the informal economy sector said in 2016 alone, the sector's contribution to the gross domestic product was P5 trillion.

Hontiveros noted how mothers from the informal economy need to have enough support to help them with their children.  —Sherylin Untalan/ VAL, GMA Integrated News