Manila, March 13 -- Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Friday called for the expansion of unemployment benefits under the Social Security System (SSS) to strengthen financial support for workers, including repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who lose their jobs amid tensions in the Middle East.

Estrada filed Senate Bill No. 1070 proposing to extend unemployment assistance to up to five months, longer than the current benefit, which provides an amount equivalent to 50 percent of a member's average monthly salary credit for only two months.

"Hindi lang kita ang nawawala sa mga nawalan ng trabaho. Nawawalan din sila ng pag-asa at seguridad ng kanilang pamilya kung paano maitatawid ang kanilang pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan. Sa ganiton...