MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday appealed to the private sector to allow a “work from home” option for its employees amid the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) menace gripping the country.
She issued the statement after reports that the 2019-nCoV has surpassed the global death toll of the 2003 SARS outbreak.
The disease has reportedly infected more than 42,000 people and killed more than 1,000 people in China alone, while the 2003 SARS outbreak killed 774 people in only eight months.
READ: China’s daily death toll from virus tops 100 for first time; 1,016 total deaths
“Para sa mga empleyadong pwede namang ‘work from home,’ dapat may ganoong option,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
(For employees who can report for work from home, they should have that option.)
“Kung hindi naman kailangang mag-commute ang empleyado araw-araw, mas mapapangalagaan ang kalusugan nila kapag pwedeng magtrabaho sa bahay,” she added.
(If they don’t need to commute everyday, they could take better care of their health if they work from home.)
Hontiveros also encouraged employers to provide necessary protective measures for their employees inside the workplace, such as access to running water, soap, alcohol, hand sanitizers, and face masks.
“Lalung-lalo na sa mga empleyadong nasa frontline at nasa maraming tao, kailangang i-provide ng kumpanya ang mga mahahalagang gamit kagaya ng mask at alcohol,” she said.
(Especially for employees at the frontline and work with many people, they should be provided with necessary tools, such as alcohol and masks.)
“Kagaya ng mga salesladies, mga cashier at iba pang nasa service sector, dapat sagot na ng kumpanya ang pang-araw-araw na protective gear nila,” Hontiveros added.
(For example, salesladies, cashier, and others under the service sector, the company should provide their everyday protective gear.)
In the Philippines, a total of 314 patients are under observation for possible 2019-nCoV infection.
READ: Patients under investigation for novel coronavirus reach 314 — DOH