64 workers affected as 2 firms temporarily close

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Around 64 workers are now facing temporary displacement after two establishments within the Tri-Cities of Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City have announced that they will be implementing temporary closure.

In the March 11, 2020 report of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-7), these two establishments were said to have been engaged in restaurant and manpower services.

Luchel Taniza, information officer of DOLE-7, said that these establishments resorted to a temporary closure since their business had already been affected by the continuous spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

This is due to the temporary travel ban implemented by the government against foreign countries with positive cases of COVID-19.

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“As of yesterday, we also received reports from two establishments nga duna silay temporary closure. So this is, well, temporary displacement kay wala man sila nag-trabaho, but the establishment promised that these are all temporary,” Taniza said.

(As of yesterday, we also received reports from two establishments that they were implementing temporary closure. So this is, well, temporary displacement because they don’t are not working, but the establishment promised that these are all temporary.)

Program for displaced workers

But Taniza said that since this was a form of displacement and that these affected workers might already qualify to avail of the livelihood and emergency employment program of the agency.

Read more: Dole encourages flexi work as businesses suffer from COVID-19

Taniza, however, said that they were still waiting for a go signal from their central office in implementing these programs.

“As of now, wala pa. Mao ra pod gihapon among buhaton (As of now, not yet, we are still doing what we had done before) — we continue to monitor and polish our database so that in the event we need to extend assistance we will know what kind of assistance that we’ll be able to extend,” she added.

DOLE-7 will also start profiling affected workers due to COVID-19.

Aside from this, the agency has also recorded more than 2,800 workers, who were affected in the flexible working hours arrangement, rotation of workers and force leave arrangement that was imposed by several companies in the province./dbs