Davao City – DTI and DOLE issued the Supplemental Guidelines under the Joint Memorandum Circular No, 20-40, s. 2020 after releasing the Interim Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of COVID-19.

The DOLE-DTI JMC covers five (5) aspects that employers must consider in implementing their respective workplace safety and health programs namely: 1) Increase of Physical and Mental Resilience; 2) Reducing Transmission of COVID-19; 3) Reducing Contact; 4) Reduce duration of Infection; and 5) Testing. With the incorporation of the aforementioned in the Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) programs of each establishment, the active role of the Safety Officers trained and certified by DOLE are highly encouraged. The JMC also states that the implementation should be at no cost to the employees.

Using a developmental approach, the compliance for companies depends on the level of violation under the Interim Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of Covid-19 and its Supplemental Guidelines (e.g. companies that have not provided employees with face shields or face masks are given three (3) days to comply. Establishments without isolation rooms are given 90 days to create one.). If companies or establishments have been proven to willfully disregard safety or fail to comply within the given period of compliance, a written report by the DOLE-DTI will be submitted to the Task Force and coordinate with the LGU to give due process to violators.

As of 25 August 2020, 1197 establishments have been inspected of which 704 have been monitored jointly by DOLE and DTI.

DOLE XI employees are provided with alcohol, masks, hand sanitizer, and vitamin C supplements. 𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐁. 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐨 is also thankful to 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 (𝐂𝐇𝐎) 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐟𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐞 for granting its request of free flu vaccine for all its employees including job orders, security guards, utility, and drivers. Free Rapid testing will be provided to workers who are exposed to probable positive COVID-19 cases. Misting and disinfection has also been conducted in the workplace in coordination with the CHO.

In an interview with 𝐏𝐓𝐕, 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐈𝐂-𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟, 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐕. 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐳 said, “𝑂𝑢𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑠, 𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑘𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑛𝑎𝑎𝑦 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠, 𝑚𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑏𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑢𝑔 𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑚𝑎 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑛 𝑢𝑔 𝐹𝐹𝐷𝐷 (𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑆ℎ𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑, 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑘, 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑠.”.

𝑩𝒚: 𝑲𝒊𝒎 𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒗𝒂𝒏̃𝒂, 𝑳𝑪𝑶, 𝑫𝑶𝑳𝑬 𝑿𝑰