Workers displaced by COVID may be 4 million

Alan Tanjusay, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines spokesman, said the Department of Labor and Employment could be under-reporting the number of COVID-affected workers. Michael Varcas

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s largest labor group yesterday expressed belief that the actual number of displaced workers nationwide could be as high as four million.

Alan Tanjusay, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesman, said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) could be under-reporting the number of COVID-affected workers.

“While the DOLE reported about 1.2 million, in our estimates, the affected workers in Luzon are around 2.5 million to four million,” Tanjusay said.

He added that TUCP and other labor groups are already conducting surveys to determine the actual number of displaced workers and whether they were provided financial assistance by DOLE or the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Tanjusay pointed out that the high number of displaced workers is expected because the lockdown affected almost all job generating sectors in the country.


“What we are surprised at is the apparent attempt by DOLE and other government agencies to make the number of displaced workers appear at a minimum despite a Luzon-wide lockdown,” he said.

He also said DOLE lacks the rigor and urgency to provide safety nets for affected workers. Aside from this, DOLE is not given much latitude in the inter-agency task force, he added.

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) claimed that DOLE is downplaying the number of affected workers to justify the big gap in the distribution of cash aid.

It doubted the agency’s report that indicated only 3.57 percent of 28 million workers employed in the formal sector were affected by the lockdown.

“The number merely represents a small fraction of the wage and salaried workers in the country and therefore can be interpreted as ‘insignificant’ as far as the lockdown impact is concerned,” PM said.

“Obviously that is not what we’re seeing at ground level as most of our workers, except state employees and those in few large corporations who are still under payroll, are employed in less protected and monitored micro enterprises,” the group said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said 12,970 distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were repatriated amid the COVID-19 pandemic as 822 seafarers arrived from the US and Barbados yesterday.

The Filipino crew of MS Norwegian Epic, MS Marina and MS Norwegian Spirit arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on two separate chartered flights and went through the mandatory quarantine inspection and briefing conducted by the Department of Health-Bureau of Quarantine (DOH-BOQ).

Those of Norwegian Epic and Marina will undergo a 14-day facility-based quarantine while those of Norwegian Spirit will undergo home quarantine, the DFA said.

Since April 1, the Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) for Norwegian Epic and Spirit and Oceania Cruises for Marina spent for the repatriation of over 3,670 of its Filipino seafarers all over the world while Oceania Cruises took care of repatriating 189 Filipino seafarers, with assistance from DFA. – Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star ) With Pia Lee-Brago

Labor groups laud companies for advancing salaries, 13th month pay amid quarantine

Labor groups and employees have expressed their appreciation to some companies for advancing their salaries and 13th month pay amid the coronavirus crisis.

Employees of fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) praised the company after it disbursed at least P1 billion to cover one month of salary and 13th month pay to workers affected by the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine against COVID-19.

Citing an internal memorandum sent to all employees by JFC CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong, Kilusan sa Jollibee Foods Corporation-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (KILUSAN-JFC-TUCP) said the company’s management is paying the one month wages covering the March 15 to April 14 quarantine period together with the 13th month pay, which is usually disbursed on December this year “to help employees cope with the crisis during the one month period that they are restricted to travel to work.”

"We were very surprised to receive such memorandum from our boss. We were already at a very low morale due to the uncertainty of a one-month suspension of work when the news showed up at our email inbox. This will definitely free us from such anxiety and would enable us to tide things over. Thank you Jollibee, " said Arthur Juego, president of KILUSAN-TUCP.

For his part, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) president Raymond Mendoza said "the move will create a race to the top momentum and raise the reputation of the Jollibee brand to customers and compel other enterprises to do the same good company deed in the light of looming economic adversity for workers."

Meanwhile, the Associated Labor Unions (ALU) commended the country's largest mall operator SM Supermalls and its competitor Robinsons for waiving the rental fees of mall tenants from March 16 to April 14 to enable these micro- and small enterprises pay in advance the salaries and thirteenth month pay of their employees.

The labor group also lauded business tycoon Manny Pangilinan for releasing in advance the 13th month pay of PLDT, Smart and Meralco employees.

Other companies who advanced the salary and thirteenth month pay of their employees are the Aboitiz Group of Companies, Asian Terminal/ Solaire Resort Hotel, JG Summit and Gokongwei Group of Companies, the Lucio Tan Group pf Companies, and the SMC Group of Comapnies.

"These positive management decisions raises workers loyalty by improving the quality of production and better customer service. The gesture promotes unity and reinforces Filipino bayanihan during these distressful times for workers and families. We urge other companies, big or small, to do the same, to help the workers and their families during these times," Gerard Seno, executive vice president of ALU, said.

With their salaries and benefits assured, workers will comply with the mandatory home quarantine policy and minimize the spread of COVID19 in communities, Seno said. — Ted Cordero/BM, GMA News

Labor groups calls for national action plan vs. COVID-19

PREVENTIVE MEASURES. Employees and visitors of the Manila City Hall wait for their temperature to be checked on March 9, 2020, as part of the city's precautionary measures against the novel coronavirus. Photo by Ben Nabong/Rappler

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has called for a national action plan in winning the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a statement, TUCP vice president Luis Corral said the national action plan should involve a massive information drive and interventions in communities and workplaces to prevent community-to-community transmission.

TUCP also called on the labor department to immediately convene all national and regional industry tripartite councils (ITCs) to do rapid impact assessments, identify risks, design and implement industry specific COVID-19 mitigation and prevention measures to save lives and jobs.

The group said the ITC is composed of employers and the workers from the industry and they know what the actual situation on the ground is.

They added that COVID-19 should not be used as a convenient excuse to justify lay-offs or closures.

“At this time, social dialogue, social partnership, and cooperation between employers and workers is the key in saving jobs through various measures like telecommuting, working from home, flexible work arrangements, or job rotations if necessary,” Corral said.

“The industry should design self-quarantine for workers with symptoms without job displacement. Workers on self-quarantine should be covered by the Employee’s Compensation Commission (ECC) or SSS for wage protection. After all, the worker did not choose to be infected,” he added.

For workers-at-risk who are in the frontline like retail, such as fast-food chains workers who must deal with the public, TUCP said it is imperative that their employers provide them free-of-charge personal protective equipment, surgical masks, alcohol-based hand rubs, and access to washbasins and soap.

“This should be true for emergency responders, healthcare workers, tourism, travel and personal services workers, border security, airport and immigration services workers, teachers, prison guards and cleaners, and those declared as ‘essential personnel,’ by their respective offices,” Corral said.

TUCP said all employers should sanitize all surfaces in their company premises, provide facemasks and alcohol hand rubs as well as soap and hand washing facilities for their workers.

During this emergency, the group also appealed for urgent support from both the national and local governments, particularly for those who cannot go to work or are forced to stay at home.

“This is especially true for those in ‘no work, no pay’ arrangements. They are in real danger of losing their wages, thereby imperiling their lives and that of their families. Without money, they are at the mercy of COVID-19 and poverty,” Corral said.

“TUCP therefore calls for the realignment of the TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers) program of the DOLE to be allocated to address the needs of these workers,” he added. - By Leslie Ann Aquino

DOLE issues guidelines for employers amid coronavirus outbreak

The Department of Labor and Employment says employers can implement flexible working hours to avoid terminating employees or closing establishments

FLEXIBLE WORK. Metro Manila commuters wear face mask as protection from the coronavirus on February 3, 2020. Photo by Jire Carreon/Rappler 

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday, March 4, issued guidelines that employers should follow when implementing flexible working hours in response to the ongoing 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak.

“The objective (of flexible working hours) is to help both employer and employees to get over the hump (caused by the coronavirus),” DOLE Undersecretary Ana Dione told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday.

DOLE said implementing flexible working hours was among the measures taken by the department to avoid “outright termination of employees” or “total closure” of establishments. (READ: A mess': Coronavirus economic impact on Philippines worse than projected)

According to Dione, implementing flexible working arrangements will not be mandatory for employers, who will have full say on whether or not to take such measures.

“The effectivity and implementation of any of the flexible work arrangements shall be temporary in nature, subject to the prevailing conditions of the company,” DOLE said.

Why this matters. Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) earlier estimated some 7,000 layoffs and retrenchments could take place in the next 6 months amid the growing coronavirus outbreak crisis.

TUCP made the forecast after Philippine Airlines terminated 300 employees, citing losses incurred because of canceled flights due to coronavirus travel bans, which have severely impacted businesses. The group said other industries may follow suit and lay off non-essential workers.

Aside from flexible working arrangements, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said the department will also require regional and overseas labor offices to submit daily reports on workers displaced by the coronavirus outbreak. He likewise gave assurances affected workers will be provided livelihood and financial assistance.

LOOK: DOLE issues guidelines for employers implementing flexible working arrangements due to the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/NGjKY9vHLA
— Sofia Tomacruz (@sofiatomacruz) March 4, 2020

What employers need to know. DOLE Department Advisory No. 1 series of 2020, issued on Wednesday, listed the following arrangements employers may consider:

Reduction of work hours and/or work days: Normal work hours or work days per week are reduced
Reduction of workers: Employees are rotated or alternately provided work within the week
Forced leave: Employees are required to go on leave for several days or weeks using leave credits

Meanwhile, DOLE urged employers and employees to discuss other possible alternative work arrangements to ease the effects of loss of income on employees.

Employers and employees will be responsible for administering and supervising flexible work arrangements should they opt to implement it, DOLE added.

If employers and employees disagree on the interpretation of the arrangements, DOLE said differences can be tackled under the company’s grievance system.

In cases where no system for dealing with grievances is in place, regional labor offices where workplaces are registered will have jurisdiction over conciliatory talks.

DOLE said employers who will implement flexible working arrangements must ensure documents are kept on record as proof the measure was adopted. Employers will also need to inform regional or provincial labor offices if flexible work arrangements are adopted. – Sofia Tomacruz Rappler.com