A LAWMAKER has filed House Bill (HB) No. 7795 entitled “Widower and Widow Financial Assistance Act,” which seeks to provide financial and counseling assistance to indigent widowers or widows to help alleviate the “grief, pain, and financial impact” of loss in the first few months of bereavement.

“Death is an inherent certainty of life, and the loss of a loved one, particularly a spouse, surely brings pain, anxiety, or sometimes ‘brain freeze’ in which the mind is deeply entangled in grief and unable to process things normally. Much more if the dead spouse is the sole breadwinner of the family, the financial loss due to the departure of the income earner aggravates the degree of grief and pain of the surviving spouse,” said Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) Party-list Rep. Eduardo “Bro. Eddie” Villanueva.

“With this measure, widowers/widows will be given financial assistance and emotional support to sustain them during a difficult time when they are vulnerable to bad and risky decisions that usually lead them to further hardships or debts. This aid will greatly help them and their families, especially the indigents, emerge victorious after an experience of a devastating loss,” he said.

HB 7795 mandates the provision of financial assistance to indigent widower/widow, an amount equivalent to the prevailing minimum wage rate in the place of his/her residence for a period of three months.

In a related development, Anakalusugan Party-list has continued to push for higher compensation and better benefits for barangay health workers who are at the forefront of delivering healthcare services in communities.

“Anakalusugan Party-list joins the nation in celebrating Labor Day. As we continue to fight for the rights of our workers, let us also shed light on the plight of our Barangay Health Workers and push for the passage of the Magna Carta for Barangay Health Workers,” Anakalusugan Rep. Ray Reyes said.

Reyes lamented how Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) do not enjoy the same rights and protection from the law as other professionals in the healthcare sector.

“Matagal na pong isyu na hindi sapat ang benepisyong nakukuha ng ating mga BHWs at nararapat lamang na bigyan natin ng karampatang suporta ang serbisyo na binibigay ng ating mga BHWs sa ating mga kababayan lalo na sa kanayunan,” he added.

Reyes had earlier filed House Bill 1829 which seeks to empower BHWs and provide them with additional health benefits, compensation, and incentives.

“Primary healthcare services should always be a priority, and we hope that giving proper compensation and benefits to our BHWs will encourage more people to serve in our communities, especially in remote areas,” Reyes said.

Under the proposed measure, BHWs will be entitled to incentives that include hazard allowance, transportation allowance, subsistence allowance, one-time retirement cash incentive health benefits, insurance coverage, as well as vacation and maternity leaves.

The bill also seeks to provide BHWs with opportunities for career enrichment through educational programs and scholarship benefits.

“The importance of our Barangay Health Workers in providing accessible and quality medical assistance at the grassroots cannot be overstated. We need to protect the well-being of our BHWs and provide them with competitive compensation and benefits for their services,” Reyes said.