Hontiveros seeks mandatory COVID-19 testing for employees returning to work

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday pushed for the mandatory testing of employees returning to work as government prepares to ease the enhanced community quarantine imposed to arrest the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“If we can commit to test POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operators) workers, we can commit to test Filipino workers… Kasama dapat sa dagdag-proteksyon sa manggagawang Pilipino na balik-trabaho sa gitna ng pandemic ang proper testing (Proper testing should also be done to protect Filipino workers who are returning to work),” Hontiveros said in a statement.

Government on Tuesday announced the lifting and easing of quarantine protocols in many parts of the country starting May 16.

Under the new rules, movement and mobility in areas still under modified enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) like Metro Manila will remain restricted, although manufacturing and processing plants workforce will be allowed to operate with 50 percent of their workforce.

For areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ), government offices and private establishments will be allowed to reopen with as much as 75 percent of their workforce.

The government’s COVID-19 task force earlier approved the partial resumption of POGOs provided that their workers undergo COVID-19 testing first.

But Hontiveros said that if government can require COVID-19 testing for POGO workers, then all the more that it should require the same for Filipino workers who are facing the same risks.

“While we want working class Filipinos to continue earning a living and critical industries to remain operational, we must implement measures to prevent a possible second spread of COVID-19 in workplaces,” Hontiveros said.

Mandatory COVID-19 testing for returning employees is an essential measure to protect Filipino workers and lessen the risk to which they will be exposing themselves and their families, she added.

While the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Trade Industry (DTI) have already issued safety guidelines for workplaces, the senator said the rules provided no means to detect and isolate workers that are infected with the coronavirus but show no symptoms.

“Kailangan nating mag-doble-ingat. Kahit walang simtomas, maari pa ring carrier ng COVID-19 (We need to double the caution. Even if a workers is showing no sign of symptoms, they may be carriers of the virsus). This is why we need to test people as they go back to work,” she said.

The senator also renewed her call for the passage of Senate Bill No. 1441 or the “Balik Trabahong Ligtas Act” which seeks to provide mandatory health coverage and other benefits for workers in the public and private sectors during a health emergency.

The measure, which Hontiveros authored, particularly requires workplaces with 50 or more workers to provide free diagnostic testing for their workers during a health emergency in coordination with relevant government agencies.

“The private sector and the government should work together to build disease-free workplaces by implementing measures that protect Filipino workers’ health such as wearing (personal protective equipment)and implementing social distancing and other workplace safety guidelines,” she said.

EDV