Labor groups say gov’t guidelines on business reopening not enough
LABOR groups slammed the guidelines released by government for the reopening of businesses, saying it does not fully protect workers, especially when they contract the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued the Interim Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of COVID-19 last Friday, which outline health safety requirements such as wearing of masks, physical distancing, and testing of employees at the company’s expense. Labor leaders interviewed Sunday by BusinessWorld all said the rules fail to cover other factors such as employees’ health coverage and the nature of certain industries. Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines Spokesperson Alan A. Tanjusay said the guidelines “will help prevent workers from exposure to COVID-19 but it does not totally protect workers from the consequences of exposure to COVID-19.” Mr. Tanjusay said they earlier proposed that employers should compensate the employees’ mandatory 14-day isolation or quarantine period.
TESTING
Federation of Free Workers (FFW) Vice President Julius H. Cainglet said while bigger companies can pay for the COVID-19 testing, 99.5% of establishments in the country are micro, small, and medium enterprises. “Large enterprises may shoulder the expenses for this. But micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) should be subsidized by government as allocating resources for mass testing might dry up their capital,” he said. Partido Manggagawa Chairperson Renato B. Magtubo, meanwhile, said DoLE and DTI should step up monitoring on how businesses are complying with the rules. “Given that more than 90% of the country’s establishments are categorized as MSMEs, and many of them before the COVID-19 pandemic cannot even comply with labor standards, the DOLE-DTI guidelines for workplace control and prevention of COVID-19 needs constant monitoring and more forceful ways in enforcing compliance so that the same will be faithfully comply with by employers.” Mr. Magtubo added that penalties should also be included in the joint guidelines, with a tripartite mechanism for the enforcement. — Gillian M. Cortez
Locsin opposes higher PhilHealth premium payment for OFWs
FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin on Sunday opposed the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s (PhilHealth) directive increasing the premium payment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to 3% of their monthly salary in 2020 from 2.75%. “Why don’t we just leave OFWs alone, except to help them when they are in trouble,” Mr. Locsin said in a social media post Sunday. “Their blood but better wages abroad account for 10% of our GDP (Gross Domestic Product).” The scheduled increase was provided under PhilHealth Circular No. 2019-0009, which imposes a 3% rate on all direct contributors, including OFWs, earning P10,000-60,000 monthly. In a separate circular, dated April 2020, PhilHealth issued the guidelines for its implementation, particularly covering migrant workers and other overseas Filipinos, whether registered in the National Health Insurance Program or not. “It is like an income tax which was abolished for OFWs and even their tax-free income filings were destroyed,” Mr. Locsin said. “They are just totally out of the purview of government exactions for which they will not benefit at all.”
CONSULAR OFFICES
In a separate development, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will resume operations of some of its Consular Offices, with strict enforcement of social distancing measures, starting May 4. In a May 2 advisory, the DFA said scheduling of appointment will be coursed through email. Applicants are also encouraged to avail online payments and courier delivery for the collection of documents to minimize physical interaction. Among the Consular Offices that will open are those in La Union, Puerto Princesa, Santiago City, and Tuguegarao City. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
Lawmaker pushes for extended relief on commercial space rent payment
A lawmaker is calling on shopping center owners to extend the relief on rental payments for micro and small businesses as many parts of the country begin to slowly ease restrictions on commercial activities. “Although some malls have waived the rents during the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine), many businesses are still obligated to pay rent despite the temporary closure of malls. That is why mall owners or the lessors should only charge rent in proportion to the limited operations of the malls or shopping centers,” Manila Teachers Party-List Rep. Virgilio S. Lacson, chair of the and House committee on micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) development, said in a statement on Sunday. He said although the government has provided a 30-day grace period for payment of commercial rents by MSMEs falling due within the duration of the more relaxed general community quarantine, this does not provide relief to micro and small enterprises but only gives them an extended period for payment. “During these extraordinary times, the big businesses and establishments should help our micro and small enterprises. This could be in the form of providing rental relief,” he said. — Genshen L. Espedido
More detained foreign nationals to be deported
MORE foreign nationals currently detained are expected to be deported in the next few days as the Bureau of Immigration (BI) speeds up proceedings to decongest its holding facility. BI Spokesperson Dana Krizia M. Sandoval on Sunday said four have so far been either deported or released on bail, with three of them pregnant women. “We’re expecting more in the next few days, the Legal Division has been ordered by Commissioner to prepare a list of cases of at-risk wards, as well as those with cases that can be expedited already to decongest the warden facility,” she said in a mobile-phone message. She said the list will contain cases that are eligible for release. Ms. Sandoval previously said 418 are detained at the facility built for a 150-capacity. She added, however, that there are sufficient open and common areas within the compound where detainees can move around. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
