Several MPs have urged the Government to do more for people who take care of the young and old, citing Singapore's ageing population and the fact that women still shoulder much of the caregiving burden.
Their suggestions, made across two days of the Budget debate, included legislating the right for flexible work arrangements, giving more child-and parent-care leave as well as expanding care options.
Nominated MP Yip Pin Xiu pointed out yesterday that caregivers were disproportionately women, and this negatively impacts their careers and financial security.
She noted that in 2018, more than 280,000 women were outside the workforce, mainly because they were caring for relatives. Just 15,000 men cited the same reason.
With the last national survey on informal caregiving done almost a decade ago, the Government should keep data on caregivers up to date by tracking their numbers regularly, she added.
Legislating the right to flexible work arrangements is one way to support those who juggle caregiving responsibilities with work, she said.
On Wednesday, Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines GRC) had pointed out that less than half of Singapore's companies offer such arrangements full-time. He said women have a "double shift" of working a job and taking on household responsibilities, and normalising flexi-work will help them to balance both.
Yesterday, Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio GRC) called for more subsidies for after-school care even after children graduate from pre-school.
This will help parents get alternative care arrangements while they are at work, he said.
It is also time to extend childcare leave, said Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC) yesterday, noting that the last increase was more than a decade ago. Mr Ng shared that he felt bad when his daughter suggested last year she should take the school bus, so that he need not rush when taking her to school. "We need more time with our children who desperately need us," he said.
He said the current six days are insufficient, as most childcare centres already close for six days a year - not counting three half-day closures on the eve of public holidays - and parents may still need to take leave when their children fall ill.
He also suggested specific childcare sick leave, for each child, which can be applied for with a medical certificate (MC). The public service already gives its officers such leave on top of the six days of childcare leave, he noted.
Officers with two children, with at least one below seven years old, can get four days of childcare leave with MCs each year. Those with three or more children get nine days.
He said the current childcare leave regime "doesn't make sense" as it gives the same amount of leave regardless of the number of children in a family. "If (parents) are going to have kids but just leave them at childcare centres most of the time, then what is the point of having kids?" he asked.
Mr Ng also stressed that encouraging flexi-work arrangements and providing more leave are "not a zero-sum game" - both can be done at the same time. He also called on the Government to extend paid parent-care leave to all Singaporeans. Civil servants have two days of such leave.
Mr Ng recounted how his father died five years ago in hospital, on the same day that he had resolved to spend more time with him.
He said: "I really wish I can turn back time. I made a mistake and I regret it till today. I wish I had spent more time with Daddy, and I miss him dearly.
"Many are appreciative of Budget 2020, but if there is one thing we didn't give out, it is time. Time, which is priceless and time which our Government can give out. We need more precious time with our loved ones."
