Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Finance (DOF), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to leave no stone unturned in combing every possible source of funds for short-term jobs or financial assistance to workers who will be displaced in the re-imposition of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) starting today, August 6.

Senator Win Gatchalian commended the Duterte administration’s economic recovery plans to revitalize the country’s economy and generate jobs in the light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Efforts allowing the interoperability of cellphone numbers will finally come into fruition more than two years after the enactment of the landmark legislation, the Mobile Number Portability Act (MNPA), Senator Win Gatchalian said.

Delays experienced in the distribution of the government's emergency subsidy program due to digital platform glitches could have been avoided had cash aid been directly deposited to the designated bank accounts of the intended beneficiaries, Senator Win Gatchalian said.

Senator Win Gatchalian encouraged more internet service providers to have direct access to satellite technology to prompt competition and eventually bring down the cost of internet connection in the country.

Beginning January 1, 2023, all Filipinos who have registered in the national identification (ID) system will own a bank account that will have access to government's financial services. This was the proposal laid down by Senator Win Gatchalian in filing Senate Bill No. 2251 or the “One Filipino, One Bank Account Act.”

Given that the Philippines is an archipelagic country and is not well supported by robust telecommunications infrastructure, maximizing the use of satellite technology as an alternative connectivity solution can address problems on the reliability of  internet connection especially in many remote areas, Senator Win Gatchalian said.

Senator Win Gatchalian urged the government to devise ways of providing employment opportunities to millions of Filipinos unemployed, many of whom have been displaced by the imposition of strict quarantine regulations, and pursue retooling programs to prepare them for the job market of the new normal.

As employees in a work-from-home (WFH) and hybrid work arrangement are likely to be in it for the long haul, Senator Win Gatchalian said it comes with a lot of costs that workers are now facing such as lack of logistical assistance, internet and utility expenses and their mental wellbeing.