MEMBERS of the Information Technology Business Processing Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) has so far deployed 15 to20 percent of their employees in areas affected by the community quarantine to work-for-home schemes to sustain their operations.
The business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is one of the industries allowed to operate despite the lockdown, owing to the export-service nature of the sector.
Rey Untal, president and chief executive officer of the IBPAP did give exact figures on how much operations have scaled-down community quarantine in Metro Manila on March 13 and eventually the enhanced community quarantine covering all of Luzon on March 17.
“It varies per company. Currently, 15 to 20 percent of employees are able to work from home,” Untal said.
He said IBPAP has advised its member-companies they are only permitted to remain operational under the conditions outlined in the resolutions issued by the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease as well as the March 18 memorandum that placed Luzon on an enhanced community quarantine.
Untal said IBPAP members ensure their workers’ health and well-being are safeguarded amid the challenges.
The group has circulated Department Order No. 209-2020 from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) among its members so that they may offer necessary assistance to their employees through the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program or CAMP which provides the guidelines for the provision of financial support to affected workers to mitigate the adverse economic impacts and reduction of income” arising from the temporary (month-long) shutdown of businesses. The financial support is for affected workers of private companies that have adopted flexi-work arrangements.
Untal said IBPAP members have also been given copies of DOLE Labor Advisory No. 04-2020 which governs COVID-19 prevention and control at the workplace and DOLE Labor Advisory No. 09-2020 or the guidelines on the implementation of flexible work arrangements as remedial measures due to the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19.
“These guidelines allow our sector to be more agile despite the restrictions imposed by the enhanced community quarantine–catering to the needs of our people, clients, and other stakeholders while taking preventive measures to protect them from COVID-19,” Untal.
In Memorandum Circular 20-06 issued March 19, 2020, the Department of Trade and Industry has given BPOs until end of tomorrow March 20, unless extended, to transfer necessary equipment of BPOs to facilitate work-from-home arrangements
The circular reiterates that BPOs should provide lodging to workers if their operations cannot be done remotely.
“With the enhanced community quarantine well underway, IBPAP continues to work with our partners in government and other industry stakeholders to ensure that we provide our member companies with accurate and pertinent information that will allow them to better navigate the evolving COVID-19 situation in the Philippines. We make certain that they are empowered and have the capacity to follow through with the implementing rules and regulations set by the IATF-EID and other executive agencies,” Untal said.
