A SENATOR has filed a bill requiring the provision of insurance coverage to all construction workers, with adequate indemnification for any accident that causes disability or death.
“I believe that providing our construction workers with insurance coverage will compel their employers to adopt better safety mechanisms that will ensure the safety and security of their workers,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Further, this will ensure quick and efficient delivery of indemnity to construction workers, which is the main intent of this measure,” he added.
Senate Bill 821 or the Construction Workers Insurance Act mandates employers to provide a group personal accident insurance coverage to guarantee quick and efficient protection to injured workers.
Under the bill, the insurance should commence from the construction workers’ first day of service until the completion of the project or termination of the employment contract.
Insurance premiums will be paid solely by the employer.
Minimum insurance coverage should be P75,000 for natural death, P100,000 for accidental death, and P150,000 for death in the line of work.
For accidents that lead to disabilities, compensation must be at least P50,000 for various scenarios such as loss of both hands, loss of both feet, or loss of one hand and sight of one eye, among others.
The measure also mandates that construction workers be entitled to fair medical benefits should they fall ill in the course of employment.
“It cannot be denied that in many cases, the work of construction workers is dangerous, so we need to take care of their safety and health,” Mr. Gatchalian said. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan