Senator Sonny Angara on Thursday warned of a further increase in the number of informal workers this year because of restrictions imposed on the movement of people, and the impact of these on businesses in general due to the lockdowns.
To provide protection to the informal workers and to ensure they receive aid from the government in times of emergencies, he called for the creation of a national database of all members of the informal economy.
“The availability of comprehensive data on this vulnerable group would provide government agencies a clearer picture of their needs and concerns and better targeted assistance programs, particularly in times of crisis,” Angara said.
He said members of the informal economy suffered just as much or even more than their counterparts in the formal economy and yet they missed out on the assistance that was provided by the government.