SENATOR Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada has filed a counterpart bill in the Senate that will ensure gainful employment for reformed drug users and provide incentives to companies that hire them.
“Providing incentives to establishments that will employ rehabilitated drug dependents who are graduates of technical-vocational education and training (TVET) programs specifically designed for them will provide reformed drug users a holistic support system for their re-integration to society,” Estrada said in filing Senate Bill No. 2276.
A staunch labor advocate, Estrada is proposing a collaboration between the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in developing TVET programs specifically created for rehabilitated drug dependents.
The TVET and livelihood programs will focus on equipping individuals with competitive and employable skills, enhancing their chances of finding sustainable employment or pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities.
The bill seeks to institutionalize the programs, ensuring their continuity and providing sufficient funding for their implementation.
Estrada said TESDA has been providing training and livelihood scholarships to former drug dependents since 2016 and in 2021, of which 94 percent or 8,200 out of the 8,700 former drug dependents have already graduated from various courses from TESDA.
“This is enough indication of the willingness of a large percentage of former drug dependents to lead better lives. It’s important to sustain the support that is being provided to them and expand its scope to include skills training and productivity enhancement that will prepare them to be self-reliant and qualified for gainful employment,” the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development said.
“This will not only improve their families’ economic conditions but will also contribute to the country’s development,” Estrada also said.
Reintegration sa PH workforce ng mga dating adik ipinapanukala ni Jinggoy
NAGHAIN si Senador Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ng counterpart bill sa Senado na magtitiyak ng magandang trabaho para sa mga reformed drug users at magbibigay insentibo sa mga kumpanyang kumukuha sa kanila.
“Sa pagbibigay ng mga insentibo sa mga establisyemento na kukuha ng mga rehabilitated drug dependents na sumailalim at nakapagtapos sa mga programang technical-vocational education and training (TVET) na partikular na idinisenyo para sa kanila, mabibigyan natin ng suporta ang kanilang reintegrasyon sa lipunan,” sabi ni Estrada sa paghahain ng Senate Bill No. 2276.
Sa ilalim ng SBN 2276, iminumungkahi ni Estrada, na kilalang labor advocate, ang pagkakaroon ng kolaborasyon sa pagitan ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) at Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) para makabuo ng TVET programa para sa mga rehabilitated drug dependents.
Ang TVET at mga programang pangkabuhayan ay tutuon sa pagbibigay sa mga reformed drug users ng kakayahang makipagkumpitensya na maaaring maging daan upang makahanap sila ng matatag na trabaho o makapagtaguyod sa pagkakaroon ng sariling negosyo.
Layon ng panukalang batas na itatag ang mga programa at matiyak ang paglalaan ng pondo para patuloy ang pagpapatupad sa mga ito.
Sinabi ni Estrada na mula pa noong 2016, nagbibigay na ng pagsasanay at livelihood scholarship sa mga dating drug dependents ang TESDA at noong taong 2021, nasa 94 porsiyento o 8,200 mula sa kabuuang 8,700 na mga dating gumagamit ng iligal na droga ang nakapagtapos ng iba’t ibang kurso mula sa nasabing ahensya.
“Ito ay sapat na patunay ng kahandaan ng mga dating drug dependent na makapagbagong-buhay. Mahalagang mapanatili ang suporta na ibinibigay sa kanila at palawakin ang saklaw nito upang isama ang skills training at productivity enhancement na maghahanda sa kanila na maging self-reliant at kwalipikado para sa makabuluhang trabaho,” sabi ng chairperson ng Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development.
“Mapapabuti nito hindi lamang ang pinansiyal na kalagayan ng kanilang pamilya kundi makakatulong pa sa pag-unlad ng bansa,” dagdag pa ni Estrada.