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MRT-3 closed for 5 days amid outbreak

METRO RAIL Transit System Line 3 (MRT-3) operations will be shut down for five days amid a coronavirus outbreak among staff members, the Transportation department said on Monday.

“The temporary shutdown will be undertaken to give way to the swab testing of all MRT-3 personnel, including those of its maintenance provider and subcontractors, to prevent further spread of the disease, and, most importantly, to protect the health and safety of both its personnel and commuters,” the agency said in a statement.

The rail system will be closed from July 7 to July 11, and will resume limited operations when enough workers test negative for the COVID-19 virus, it said.

The shutdown period may be shortened or extended depending on the pace and results of the tests.

Six station workers — four ticket sellers, a nurse and a train driver — have been infected with the virus as of July 5, the Transportation department said. It added that 166 depot workers have tested positive for the virus.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DoH) reported 2,099 new coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing the total to 46,333.

The death toll rose to 1,303 after six more patients died, while recoveries increased by 243 to 12,185, it said in a bulletin. There are 32,845 active cases.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire traced the increase in cases to the verification process in laboratories.

She said they have identified emerging virus hotspots including the cities of Marikina, Muntinlupa, Makati and Quezon, which are all in Metro Manila.

Infections in the Visayas region have been decreasing, but a “clustering of cases” has been observed in 64 towns in Cebu province and 314 towns in Metro Manila, Ms. Vergeire said. — Arjay L. Balinbin and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

18 million students opt for virtual classes

MORE THAN 18 million students are expected to start virtual classes next month as the Department of Education adopts blended and distance learning, the presidential palace said on Monday.

Of 18.2 million enrollees, 17.4 million were public school students, Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque said at an online news briefing.

Enrollment will end on July 15.

The new academic year starts on Aug. 24, but students must stay home in the absence of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus.

The Education department will enforce blended learning strategies so students can learn without going to school. Teachers will provide printed learning modules that can be delivered to students’ homes.

Students may also choose to answer electronic documents online.

Education officials earlier said less than half of the country’s 800,000 public school teachers had been trained for distance learning amid a coronavirus pandemic, leading senators to question the school system’s readiness to start online classes in August.

Some senators also criticized the agency for failing to map out areas where different learning methods would be used.

Education officials said they were still gathering data for the mapping through a poll that students and their parents answer during enrollment.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones earlier said face-to-face classes won’t start until a vaccine for the novel coronavirus that has sickened more than 44,000 and killed about 1,300 people in the Philippines is found.

She took her cue from President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who has said he wouldn’t allow classes to open without a vaccine given the risk of an outbreak in schools.

Mr. Duterte locked down the entire Luzon island in mid-March, suspending work, classes and public transportation to contain the pandemic. People should stay home except to buy food and other basic goods, he said.

He extended the quarantine for the island twice and thrice for the capital region. The lockdown in Metro Manila has since been eased, but mass gatherings across the nation remained banned.

The Philippines has four levels of lockdowns — enhanced, modified enhanced, general and modified general community quarantine.

Mr. Roque said parents should still send their children to school despite the pandemic. — Gillian M. Cortez

ABS-CBN denies allegations of bias

A SHUTTERED broadcast network critical of President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday said it has mechanisms for handling mistakes amid allegations of bias.

ABS-CBN Corp. has an in-house ombudsman who “receives, investigates and makes recommendations on complaints against news personnel,” Ma. Regina Reyes, who heads the media giant’s Integrated News and Current Affairs, told congressmen hearing its application for a franchise extension on Monday.

She said the mechanism ensures that its journalists adhere to their own code of ethics and observe the highest professional and ethical standards.

“We uphold this accountability and responsibility as vigorously as we uphold press freedom, freedom of expression and free speech,” Ms. Reyes told the virtual hearing.

She said about 69 million Filipinos have been deprived of the information that the broadcaster had been providing before the government ordered its closure after its franchise expired.

The National Telecommunications Commission shut down ABS-CBN’s TV and radio services on May 5. It also closed the network’s digital TV transmission through ABS-CBN TV Plus on June 30. — Patricia S. Gajitos

Regional Updates (07/06/20)

Mindanao businesses welcome DoTr discount order on food cargo but seek long-term solution to logistics issues

BUSINESSES IN Mindanao welcomed the recent government order for shipping companies to offer a discount of at least 40% on food cargo, but said more long-term policies are needed to help producers bring their goods to the local market. “That’s only because we have a public health emergency. That’s good for the moment but it’s still a palliative measure by all account,” Antonio S. Peralta, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP)-Southern Mindanao chairman said via online messaging. A Department of Transportation directive issued on June 24 orders shipping firms to offer the discount as well as allocate 12% of cargo capacity on agricultural and food products to “help ensure the viability of food production and delivery thereof.” Another order on the issued the same day mandated the establishment of a shippers’ protection office to address complaints on the industry’s rates, charges and practices. “That would be a good move if the measures stay in place permanently and not as a short term measure,” Mr. Peralta said. “Still I think that the best way to get competitive shipping rates would be to streamline cargo shipments by getting scheduled shipments from consolidators for quicker turn around deliveries. And let the market determine cargo rates through more competition,” he added.

CONFERENCE
The ECCP-Davao, in partnership with freight forwarding firm All Transport Network, Inc., will hold a webinar on Business Conference on Logistics on July 24, with participants from sea and air cargo companies, importers and exporters, and representatives from ports and Customs bureau. Mr. Peralta noted that the amendments to the Cabotage Law in 2016 brought down shipping costs at a “very little” level. The upcoming webinar is the second in the series on logistics after the Visayas-Mindanao conference held in January wherein bottlenecks, demographics, market characteristics, and opportunities were discussed. “The preliminary results indicated that there is a need to lower the shipping costs and undertake a more systematic approach in shipping commodities from Mindanao to Cebu and Manila,” he said. In the online conference, the industry “aims to finally resolve the longstanding issue of high shipping rates. This has been the case since the republic was born. This obviously can’t go on. We need to find a solution for this constraint,” Mr. Peralta said. — Maya M. Padillo

Cashless shopping in Divisoria ready soon with PayMaya

SHOPPING IN Divisoria, an old commercial center in Manila popular for its diverse goods and bargain prices, can soon be done with cashless transactions through the PayMaya application. The digital payment firm has been tapped by the Manila local government to provide contactless payment facilities to shop owners in Divisoria as well as stalls around the city hall. “Manila City is one of the LGUs (local government units) that are leading the way in digitalization. Citizens can receive their financial assistance direct to their own PayMaya accounts linked to their Manila City ID cards, and now vendors can easily and safely accept cashless payments via PayMaya. We are proud to be a partner in the city’s digitalization efforts,” said PayMaya Founder and Chief Executive Officer Orlando B. Vea in a statement.

Nationwide round-up

Gov’t says country can’t afford another total lockdown

THE PRESIDENTIAL Palace on Monday said the country cannot afford another total lockdown despite the highest single-day record of coronavirus cases reported on Sunday at over 2,000. Palace Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, in a briefing, said the 2,493 new positive cases are mostly asymptomatic or mild. He added that less than 1% of the country’s over 44,000 patients are severe or critical. Mr. Roque said in Filipino, “94.3% are mild cases, 0.5% are severe and 0.1% only are critical. 5.1%, on the other hand, are asymptomatic.” Researchers have pointed out that the surge in cases comes after the easing of restrictions on business operations after more than two months of strict lockdown. Mr. Roque, however, said policies need to be balanced between public health safety and economy. — Gillian M. Cortez

Over 60,000 stranded people back to hometowns

A TOTAL of 62,762 people who were stranded in Metro Manila due to the lockdown have gone back to their hometowns as of July 2, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque reported on Monday. Mr. Roque said the government’s program to assist their return included rapid testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) upon the request of local governments as part of managing potential local transmissions of the deadly virus. “Bukod pa po sa rapid testing, sila po ay isa-subject to PCR kung mayroon po sa pagdating sa probinsya o ‘di naman po ay doon sa 14-day quarantine (Besides rapid testing, they are subject to PCR testing if it is available in the province they go to or to where they do the 14-day quarantine),” he said. In a separate briefing, Presidential Management Staff Assistant Secretary Joseph B. Encabo warned people against unauthorized trips back to their provinces, which he said compromises efforts to contain COVID-19 as health protocols are ignored. “Naniniwala po ako na ang mga kolorum activities na ‘yan ang isa sa mga main rason kung bakit tumataas po ang COVID-19 cases sa isang lugar (I believe these unathorized activities are one of the main reasons why COVID-19 cases are increasing in certain areas),” he said. — Gillian M. Cortez

Over 80 schools interested in ‘study now, pay later’ scheme

STATE-RUN Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) said 83 schools have expressed their interest to participate in its “study now, pay later” lending program.

In a statement Monday, Finance Secretary and Bank Chairman Carlos G. Dominguez III said the LANDBANK board has approved P260 million worth of applications as of July 1 under the bank’s P3-billion Access to Academic Development to Empower the Masses towards Endless Opportunities.

Of the 83 educational institutions, LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo said in the same statement that six schools have already submitted partial requirements to avail of the program while one loan application is pending and will be up for approval by the fourth week of July.

“We continue to pursue opportunities to offer these program to as many eligible schools as possible through various means available,” Ms. Borromeo was quoted as saying in her report to Mr. Dominguez.

She said LANDBANK have been conducting several meetings with 15 other schools to help them assess their qualifications for the program, while 61 schools “have likewise expressed interest” to avail of the credit facility.

The bank launched its P3-billion lending program in May for private high schools, private technical-vocational education training institutions, colleges and universities to help their students study on credit.

The facility refinances or discounts promissory notes issued by the students’ parents.

The loans carry an interest rate of three percent per annum and are payable “based on the maturity of the sub-promissory notes but not to exceed three years.”

Schools can borrow up to 70% of the value of the promissory notes per semester and subject, subject to a cap based on the institution’s borrowing capacity.

The program is available until June 30, 2021. — Beatrice M. Laforga

MWSS says P3.29-B Angat tunnel project now operational

THE Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said its P3.29-billion Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project (AWTIP) has been commissioned and is ready to complement the agency’s efforts in securing water supply for Metro Manila.

In a statement Monday, the MWSS Corporate Office said that AWTIP, also known as Tunnel 4, runs for 6.3 kilometers and has a diameter of four meters. It is designed to accommodate 19 cubic meters per second of raw water from Angat Dam.

The MWSS said the construction of the tunnel began in June 2016 and was finished in June 2020, three months earlier than its original completion date of September.

The MWSS said the project reduces the risk of a partial or total disruption of water supply in Metro Manila.

“It will provide redundancy and enable the system’s full design capacity to be restored by allowing the upstream tunnels and downstream aqueducts to be sequentially closed, inspected, and rehabilitated or decommissioned,” the MWSS said.

The MWSS said the completed permanent works include intake structure at Ipo reservoir; a new transition basin at Bigte; slope protection works at Ipo Dam; a channel connecting the Tunnel 4 outlet portal to the existing aqueduct; interconnection of the new transition basis at Bigte to the existing Transition Basin No. 3; and modifications to the existing transition basin No. 3 at Bigte.

MWSS Administrator Emmanuel B. Salamat said the completion of the tunnel project clears the way for the rehabilitation of the transmission system’s main components that are 75 years old and are in poor condition.

“These factors could seriously interrupt Metro Manila’s water supply. Minor delays due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) restrictions thwarted our best efforts to place on stream the additional 19 cubic meters per second (equivalent to 1,600 million liters per day) into the delivery system,” Mr. Salamat said.

Mr. Salamat said Tunnel 4 was partially operated in April to help Metro Manila’s water supply problem during the summer months.

Tunnel 4 was built with funding from the Asian Development Bank. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

BPO return to office determined by productivity

INTERNET connection quality will determine work-from-home productivity, while data protection needs will influence when outsourcing firms fully return to on-site work, industry officials said.

The transition back to on-site work could be measured in months instead of weeks for companies that remain productive while employees work from home, Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) Chief Executive Officer Rey E. Untal said in an online interview in late June.

Companies will also assign at least some employees to work from home to maintain physical distancing measures on site.

Some outsourcing companies may accelerate the move back to their offices, especially for areas with poor internet infrastructure.

More employees are able to return to work in areas with more relaxed lockdowns that will allow them to use public transport. In some of these areas, home-based internet infrastructure is also poor, accelerating the shift back to offices.

“There’s no cookie-cutter answer. It varies from company to company,” Mr. Untal said.

As of late June, 81% of outsourcing employees in the Philippines were deemed productive, with 59% working from home and 22% on-site.

At the beginning of the lockdown in March, 40% of employees were working from home while 10% were working on-site. This increased to 58% work from home and 15% on-site by May.

Some companies are shifting to some degree of long-term home-based work.

Singapore-based outsourcing company Everise Philippines announced last month that it was hiring 2,000 Filipinos to work from home.

Everise Chief Executive Officer Sudhir Agarwal said in an e-mail that 50% of its entire workforce will be working from home for the foreseeable future.

This model has an effect on the recruitment process, where prospective employees with reliable bandwidth connection have the upper hand.

“For new hires we test speeds and we have a requirement pre-screening to hire people that meet minimum bandwidth requirements,” Mr. Agarwal said.

The company had spent the last two years developing a work at home and desktop software solution that its workforce transitioned to during the lockdown. Everise moved 90% of its global workforce to home-based operations at the start of the stricter lockdown in March.

“We were in the fortunate position to have the foresight to create a work at home business model. Luckily, we could transition quickly to that model, and to scale up from that model as well, because our business increased after the pandemic started,” Mr. Agarwal said.

“Not all BPOs have been as fortunate. Many of them will have to work hard to put in place a business model that we had already spent two years developing.”

Teleperformance Philippines said 20,000 of its 47,000 employees were working from home at the end of June.

Teleperformance Chief Operating Officer Mike Lytle in an e-mail said that the company is retaining non-voice and lower-bandwidth projects for home-based operations, while “sensitive” projects remain on site.

IBM Philippines Government and Regulatory Affairs Executive Princess Lou M. Ascalon in a webinar in June said outsourcing contracts did not sufficiently cover data protection measures for the shift to work-from-home operations during the lockdown. Some clients have asked for noise-proof workspaces in employee homes to reduce interference.

Outsourcing companies are using data security technologies, with Teleperformance using cloud storage, multi-factor authentication, and other controls.

For now, both Teleperformance and Everise are looking at a “blended model” of both home and office setups.

IBPAP’s Mr. Untal has said that there are limits to what companies can do in a work-from-home setup because of infrastructure and security considerations. He said that the industry is working with government agencies to improve employee transportation and to increase their productivity as the lockdown eases. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Energy consumption reporting deadline moved to April 2021 — DoE

THE Department of Energy (DoE) further extended the deadline for establishments to submit their power consumption reports to mid-April 2021.

The department’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB) provided more time for so-called designated establishments from the transport, commercial and industrial sectors to submit their annual energy consumption report due to the impact of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on their operations.

Designated establishments, which consume at least 100-megawatt-hours or 100,000-kilowatt-hours of energy, are required by Republic Act No. 11285, or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act, to file their annual Energy Efficiency and Conservation reports every April 15.

Due to the strict lockdown imposed in mid-March, the EUMB initially extended the deadline to June 30.

The DoE is encouraging designated establishments to file their reports “as soon as possible,” despite the additional grace period. — Adam J. Ang

NIA launches construction of P893-M dam in Nueva Ecija

THE National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said it launched the construction of the P893-million Balbalungao Earthfill Dam in Lupao, Nueva Ecija.

NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya led the groundbreaking and capsule laying ceremony for the earthfill dam earlier this month. The project is known as the Balbalungao Small Reservoir Irrigation Project.

The irrigation project serves 840 hectares and 562 farmers and their families in the Lupao barangays of Balbalungao, San Isidro, Salvacion, Sto. Niño, and Mapampang.

Mr. Visaya said the reservoir will affect 38.44 hectares of land and will not disturb residential areas.

Mr. Visaya said that once the construction of the dam is finished, it will also supply power.

“There will be a hydropower component to be installed before the irrigation outlet of the dam,” Mr. Visaya said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Business registration in the new normal

Since the World Health Organization classified COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, “the new normal” became the go-to term for describing the new reality. Throughout history, we survived calamities because of our ability to adapt to changing times. With our mobility limited by social distancing protocols, we see a sudden business shift from physical stores to online platforms. Aspiring entrepreneurs taking advantage of new-normal opportunities might ask, “Can I start a new business during the pandemic?”

Coincidentally, Republic Act (RA) No. 11032, also known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Delivery Act of 2018 (EDB Law), was approved on May 28, 2018. RA No. 11032 amends RA No. 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007. The EDB Law is third in the current administration’s 10-point socioeconomic agenda. Since RA No. 11032 was enacted, our country’s ranking in the World Bank Doing Business report has risen from 124th in 2018 to 95th place in 2019. Now that we are in a state of a public health emergency, ease of doing business will be beneficial for new and aspiring entrepreneurs.

One of the EDB Law’s salient features is the shortened timeline for transactions with the government. Under the law, simple transactions should take no longer than three working days. Complex transactions should take no longer than seven working days, and highly technical applications should take no more than 20 days. It is important to note that the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) recently approved Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2020-03-A, which provides a suspension to the mandated processing times of 3-7-20 working days in areas placed under enhanced community quarantine.

While it is too early to say that government bureaucracy is a thing of the past, we can see improvements and initiatives to ease the conduct of business. This is especially true now that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), in Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 60-2020, has reminded business owners and online sellers to ensure that their businesses are registered or that their registrations are updated with the BIR. Under RMC No. 60-2020, non-registered business owners have until July 31 to register or update their records. Failure to register by that date will result in penalties for late registration.

Such a pronouncement from the BIR startled new business owners and online sellers, particularly those who are unregistered or unaware of business registration processes. Fortunately, new business owners can register online with the appropriate government agencies.

SOLE PROPRIETORSHIPS
Sole proprietors can register their business name online through the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI’s) Business Name Registration System in compliance with Administrative Order No. 18-07, which implements RA No. 3883, or the Business Name Law. Registration fees vary depending on the territorial scope of the business.

CORPORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS
Corporations and partnerships can initially register by creating an account with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) Company Registration System (CRS). A valid e-mail address is required. In the CRS, a person can register and upload the necessary documents for SEC review and approval. In compliance with the EDB Law, the SEC issued MC No. 16 -2020, which provides alternative ways to authenticate the Articles of Incorporation (AoI) when registering new domestic corporations.

Under MC No. 16-2020, the new corporation has two options. One, it can submit its AoI with a Certificate of Authentication signed by all incorporators on the SEC-prescribed form. Through this mode, both the AoI and the Certificate of Authentication do not have to be notarized or consularized. Two, the incorporators can authenticate traditionally by acknowledging the AoI before a notary public.

REGISTRATION WITH THE BIR
After registering with the DTI or the SEC, the next process is registering with the tax authority, the BIR. In RMC No. 57-2020, the BIR revised the checklist of documentary requirements for registering with the Bureau. One of the significant changes is the removal of the mayor’s permit as a mandatory requirement.

The Tax Code, as amended, requires every person subject to any internal revenue tax to register with the BIR Revenue District Office before the commencement of business. Aside from being made liable for deficiency taxes and penalties, taxpayers who fail to register with the BIR are subject to fines of between P5,000 and P20,000, and imprisonment of between six months and two years.

REGISTRATION WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
While a mayor’s permit is no longer a requirement for BIR registration, it does not mean that registering with the local government unit (LGU) is unnecessary. The Constitution grants LGUs, subject to the guidelines and limitations set by Congress, the right to create their own source of revenue and to levy taxes, fees, and charges.

Although registering with the LGU may still involve manually filing with the city or municipal hall, the EDB Law has promising changes.

One of the EDB law’s features on local government business registration is the establishment of a Business One-stop Shop (BOSS) — Negosyo Center. It is a single location, website, or convergence point for national government agencies, LGUs, and the private sector to promote ease of doing business and to ensure access to government services within a jurisdiction. Within three years of the effectivity of the EDB Law, all cities and municipalities must automate their business permitting and licensing system or set up an electronic BOSS to facilitate a more efficient business registration process.

Under the EDB Law, the new business owner no longer needs to go to the barangay hall, since barangay clearances and permits for doing business shall be applied to, issued by, and collected at the city or municipality. The fees collected for barangay clearance and permits are remitted to the respective barangays.

The Ease of Doing Business Act of 2018 is an important piece of legislation, especially now that we are in the middle of a pandemic. While it is within the State’s power to compel citizens to register their businesses to contribute to nation-building by paying taxes, the State has a concomitant obligation to promote integrity, accountability, proper management of public affairs in government services, and the prevention of graft and corruption in government.

Can I start a new business during a pandemic? The answer is a definite yes — provided that you register.

Let’s Talk Tax is a weekly newspaper column of P&A Grant Thornton that aims to keep the public informed of various developments in taxation. This article is not intended to be a substitute for competent professional advice.

Lorenzo V. Matibag is an associate of the Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd.

pagrantthornton@ph.gt.com

Making HR relevant

During the past three months, the faculty and administration of De La Salle University have been preparing to transition to e-learning given the ongoing pandemic. Preparation meant learning to optimize our learning management system and understanding the nuances of distance learning. Preparation also meant ensuring that course content, in my case Strategic Human Resource Management, is relevant and takes into account the implications of this pandemic.

HR must be one of the busiest units for most businesses, not just now but since the lockdown was announced. Organizations with existing business continuity plans, work-from-home (WFH) arrangements, and counseling and mental health programs were in a better position to respond. However, many organizations were caught by surprise, and this was and still is a huge HR challenge. Of course, other units in the organization have their roles to play. However, because of the impact on employees, HR has a major role.

The HR group is expected to play a significant role in setting up WFH arrangements. Aside from identifying which types of work can be shifted to WFH, HR needs to guide both managers and employees on how to manage this environment.

On top of being worried about health and safety, employees are concerned about job security. Almost all employers paid the salaries of employees during the first month of the lockdown. However, in the second month, as the lockdown was extended and the business implications of the pandemic became clearer, some employers resulted in commuting leave credits while others gave advances to be offset on an undefined date. Sometimes, they would do these without explaining to employees what they were doing and why they were doing it. HR plays a critical role in supporting top management by informing employees about what the company is doing, addressing their concerns, and checking their wellbeing because not everyone may be coping well with the stress. HR also has to keep abreast of and comply with guidelines issued by the government through the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 related to employment and occupational health and safety.

For organizations that deliver essential services, HR implements health and safety protocols, possibly extends work hours, arranges transportation and accommodation, and helps employees cope with stress.

The response to the situation includes a shift to online platforms. For many employees, this requires acquiring new skills in a short time. In coordination with the IT people, HR arranges online training on how to work online.

As businesses are slowly opening up, HR is busy scheduling and rationalizing staff rotations, arranging employee shuttles or even accommodations, working with the administration group to ensure that COVID-19-related occupational health and safety standards are implemented, arranging for COVID-19 testing, and dealing with arrangements for regular employees who are deemed to be part of the vulnerable population.

All these are on the assumption that no one in the company and any of the employees’ families has tested positive for or died of COVID-19.

Business owners and higher management of companies severely affected by the pandemic may be thinking of or may already be implementing severe measures such as workforce reduction, temporary suspension of operations, or even cessation of operations. These steps involve HR as well. More than accomplishing the paperwork required to comply with regulations, HR supports management in communicating with employees, and implements the process as smoothly as possible. Ideally, HR should also be looking for ways to help affected employees by providing them with complete and accurate documentation about their employment, and assisting them in finding other jobs or helping them identify alternative livelihood opportunities.

For organizations that continue to operate, HR should be looking at consolidating the lessons learned and preparing for the new normal. Organizations need to recalibrate their systems to operate effectively and efficiently in this new environment, and to continue to deal with the impact of the pandemic not only on the organization but also on its stakeholders. Aside from systems, HR should look at how this new environment is affecting the organization’s culture and should continue to monitor employees’ mental well-being.

If HR plays only an administrative role or is unable to respond appropriately, the response-ability shifts to higher management, who will now need to direct and lead these efforts on top of addressing sustainability issues. This highlights the important role that HR plays in organizations and the importance of having the right people for the job, and that includes people in HR.

As we begin our trimester using e-learning, we have to adjust our content to include the implications of this pandemic to help students acquire knowledge and skills to help them navigate in this new environment, support them as they adjust to this reality, and equip them for the future.

 

Dr. Mary Margaret Que teaches in the graduate programs of the Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University. She is also the managing director of ExeQ Consulting Service.

gettque@yahoo.com

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