PUBLIC transportation drivers face health risk every day due to daily exposure to air pollution, thus, a running party-list hopes to push for a policy that will give health insurance and assistance for drivers.
Claudine Diana Bautista, the first nominee of the Drivers United for Mass Progress and Equal Rights (Dumper), said in a press conference Sunday, May 5, at Aposento, Matina in Davao City that they wanted to address the plight of the drivers who are suffering from diseases acquired from working long hours along the road.
“Gina-raise nila nga unta magakaroon og benepisyo especially health benefits kay dili gyud lalim ang ilahang paningkamot tibook adlaw nga naa sa dalan, ulan, init (The drivers expressed the need to have health benefits because they work long hours on the road with rain or under the heat of the sun)," she said.
Bautista said when the drivers get sick, it is hard for them to seek medical assistance.
"They hope that they’d be given benefits especially health benefits," she added.
Based on dialogues with some drivers, one of the issues raised was the need for medical assistance considering that some of them are already experiencing some illnesses. Due to the high cost of getting medication, some of them have chosen not to get medical help.
During Dumper's consultation, the top three illnesses common among the transportation drivers are tuberculosis, a disease in the eyes caused by the sun, and prostate cancer.
“Pinagtoonan natin ng pansin that we can provide services na makapa check-up sila. I always believe that prevention is better than cure so if we can prevent all these things from happening na makahanap tayo ng way na pwede natin sila macheck-up yearly just to check their health before pa sila magkasakit, mas better,” Bautista said.
Dumper also advocates for transport modernization and protection of the rights of drivers, operators and commuters.
Should Dumper be given a slot in Congress, Bautista said they will push for a policy that will provide medical assistance to the drivers if they will be diagnosed with those cases in addition to the existing assistance of the government.
Aside from the medical assistance, she added that they will seek to pass a policy to give health insurance and medical benefits for the drivers to protect them.