Trabaho sa Probinsya Pushes Forward as New Bill Eyes 90-Day Rural Jobs
A new House proposal is trying to bring more short-term jobs to rural communities instead of forcing more Filipinos to leave home just to earn. According to The Manila Times, 1TAHANAN Party-list Rep. Nathaniel Oducado filed House Bill 8746, also called the Rural Employment Assistance Program Act or REAP, to give poor families in the provinces temporary work every year.
Under the measure, qualified individuals could get 45 to 90 days of employment annually. The idea is to cushion rural households that depend on seasonal farming and fishing jobs, which are often unstable, low-paying, and easily disrupted by disasters or sudden price swings.
Oducado said rural poverty remains worse than urban poverty because many workers in the countryside want to work but cannot find steady income. Kapag walang stable na hanapbuhay, families are pushed to move to the cities or look overseas, even when that means long separations and more financial risk.
The bill would require the Department of Social Welfare and Development and local governments to roll out projects such as farm support work, road repair, and disaster-preparedness activities. It also says workers should be paid at least 75 percent of the minimum wage and receive basic insurance coverage while on the job.
Oducado argued that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is another reminder that the Philippines cannot always rely on overseas employment as a safety valve. If the bill moves forward, supporters say it could offer both immediate income and a more dignified option for families who want to stay and build a future in their own communities.
Source: The Manila Times
