EMPLOYERS said they deem reassuring workers about their jobs and keeping workplaces safe to be critical tasks during the pandemic as Metro Manila transitions to a more relaxed form of quarantine next month.

Representatives from Ayala Corp. (AC), Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc., Philippines AirAsia, Inc., and PwC Philippines-Isla Lipana & Co. revealed these and other post-quarantine strategies at a virtual forum Thursday organized by the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation and Management Association of the Philippines.

When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced a lockdown in mid-March, AC Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said his group’s priority was to provide financial support to stakeholders.

The Ayala Group has so far rolled out P6.5 billion in monetary and in-kind support to employees, partners and communities, which includes uninterrupted wage payments, leave conversions and loan deferments.

Mr. Zobel said the group’s focus now is providing healthcare support to employees. AC has started an employee testing program for selected persons across the Ayala Group, which includes some 18,000 frontliners.

“In the end, we all have to become people-centric organizations for both people internally, within our organizations, and the many stakeholders that surround us,” he said.

Coca-Cola Philippines President and CEO Gareth McGeown highlighted the importance of ensuring employee safety, protecting mental health and ensuring job continuity during the pandemic.

He said safety protocols have to be refined for people to return to work.

Apart from physical wellness, Coca-Cola also initiated mental health webinars to keep anxiety in check. “People are anxious, and it’s our job to communicate facts to help them understand the challenges and follow the protocols,” Mr. McGeown said.

About 50% of Coca-Cola’s 1 million outlets remain closed because of cash flow difficulties. But Mr. McGeown said the company is considering helping operators rebound via loans and credit deferment. It is also training sales people on operating remotely.

“We’ve learned significantly from (before the lockdown)… We’re in the phase now of reimagining and reframing what the future could look like as we continue to protect jobs,” Mr. McGeown said.

AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricardo P. Isla said technology will play a key role in bringing back consumer confidence.

AirAsia is installing upgraded air contaminant filters in cabin ventilation. These filters are rated for coronaviruses. It is also implementing a system of contactless kiosks activated by quick response (QR) codes to print boarding passes and luggage tags.

“The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines has been ready with the new protocols of travel for about two months… What we’re doing is pushing the teamwork with the government and smaller businesses that are very dependent on travel,” Mr. Isla said.

He said apart from airlines, many other stakeholders depend on the airline industry, including travel agencies and suppliers of food and materials used in flights. “There has to be a continuous private and public-sector coordination,” Mr. Isla said.

PwC Philippines Chairman and Senior Partner Alexander B. Cabrera cited the value of digital transformation in building resilience across industries.

He said uninterrupted cold-chain logistics are needed to support agriculture industry, while weather-resilient farming can be enhanced using technology.

“I think the government is exerting a lot of effort… to help MSMEs (micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises) digitally transform. Without digital transformation, there can be no resiliency,” Mr. Cabrera said.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, who also participated in the forum, reminded the private sector to stick to hygiene protocols and implement work from home arrangements as much as possible.

“The private sector has to continue to revisit business models, restructure and realign businesses to adapt to this new normal,” he said. “We want to encourage more private sector (participants) to come into the manufacturing and production of essential goods and services in this fight against this pandemic.” — Denise A. Valdez

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