In a refiled bill by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, women from poor families are proposed to receive a monthly compensation of ₱2,000. The bill was originally filed at the 17th Congress.
Under House Bill No. 668, Salceda emphasized that the role of stay-at-home moms is a “valuable economic activity.”
“What if these stay-at-home mothers or housewives take out their services as child caretakers, as homemakers, cooks, and sometimes even as care providers for the elderly and the sick in the family, would not husbands be less productive at work, would not children be underperforming in school or worse, may even be juvenile delinquents and pose a threat to society? Clearly, the country’s production processes will grind to a halt,” said Salceda.
The bill specifically intends to cover stay-at-home women who are living below the poverty threshold, with no part-time nor home-based work. The beneficiaries will be identified through coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Beneficiaries must meet certain conditions in order to avail the compensation. For one, they must have a child or children enrolled in public schools.
The bill also stated that the amount of compensation shall be revisited and adjusted every three years.
