worldbank.org (2022) The Philippines’ experience in implementing the social amelioration program (SAP) in response to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlights the pressing need for financial inclusion, especially among the poor. The absence of a national identification (ID) system and low bank account ownership posed a challenge in the delivery of SAP. The Government of the Philippines (GoP) expedited the development and registration for the national ID system (PhilSys) and used the opportunity to facilitate bank account opening.

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO (29.10.2020) By paying the compensation in the event of reduced working hours (RHT), unemployment insurance (AC) covers, for a certain time, part of the wage costs of workers whose normal working hours are reduced , and this in order to prevent layoffs resulting from short but inevitable job losses.

Legestart (10.11.2020) The Chamber of Deputies has adopted a legislative proposal that provides for the extension of the categories of persons benefiting from the reduction by 2 years of the standard retirement age because they lived at least 30 years in areas with residual pollution, being introduced another 27 localities, including Bacău , Oneşti, Năvodari, Baraolt, Târgovişte and Titu. The legislative proposal has as object of regulation the modification of paragraph 5 of article 65 of Law no.

Ministry of Finance (05.11.2020) All companies that are affected according to the expanded list of KAD April, now throughout the territory, are entitled to a mandatory reduction of rent by 40% on their commercial real estate. The same applies to the main residence of the employees who are suspended from employment, but also to the student residence of their children, throughout the territory.

ONEM (03.11.2020) Currently, for employers who are not recognized as a particularly affected company or belonging to a particularly affected sector, this temporary unemployment still requires electronic communication from the employer to the ONEM. A simplification of the procedure being envisaged, these employers are not, for the moment, required to make this communication, which is not subject to a deadline.  

BMAS (09.09.2020) The federal government has approved the Social protection package I Simplified access to basic social security benefits. Due to the ongoing economic effects of the pandemic, the Federal Cabinet has now extended this relief until December 31, 2020. They include the temporary restriction of the asset assessment, the temporary recognition of the actual costs for accommodation and heating as well as simplifications in the approval of provisional benefits.