HOLCIM Philippines, Inc. has put in place health and safety controls, including social distancing in all its sites, as the listed cement maker prepares to resume operations with the government’s easing of enhanced community quarantine measures.
In a statement on Wednesday, Holcim Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer John Stull said he was confident that the company’s health and safety culture and well-thought-out plans would enable it to protect people from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) when operations resume.
“In Lugait, Misamis Oriental our plant continues to run without any COVID-related incident further proving that our strength in Health and Safety enables us to properly manage these risks. Lugait also provides a model on how we can protect the well-being of people when we restart operations of our other sites,” he said.
The company’s Initiatives draw from best practices across the LafargeHolcim Group and focus on social distancing, personal hygiene and health checks.
The company closed sites and facilities in Luzon in compliance with the government directive of an enhanced community quarantine on March 16, 2020. It also shut down its plant in Davao City after a similar action by the local government on April 2 this year.
Holcim Philippines’ lean workforce in all its sites has installed markers to guide people in staying two meters apart and built hand washing stations. It continues to share information with employees and partners on COVID-19 for them to be mindful of protecting themselves.
Mr. Stull said the company would continue to strictly adhere to the guidance of health authorities and be ready to share best practices to partners, industry groups, and government agencies to help in the safe resumption of business activities.
Holcim Philippines said it had shifted its corporate citizenship budget to provide medical supplies to hospitals treating coronavirus patients and food and hygiene products to communities hosting its facilities in La Union, Bulacan, Manila, Batangas, Iloilo, Misamis Oriental and Davao City.
It said around 1,500 families and government frontline workers had benefited from the first batch of relief operations as of April 14.
