Marikina mandates businesses to follow new health protocols in workplaces
MANILA, Philippines – In preparation for the resumption of work amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Marikina’s local government unit (LGU) has passed an ordinance mandating businesses to strictly follow their new health protocols.
According to Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, Executive Order (EO) No. 22 would ensure that workplaces remain safe from local coronavirus transmissions as the city and the rest of Metro Manila transitions to a general community quarantine (GCQ).
“Maayos dapat ang transition mahalagang masunod lahat ng new protocols sa mga establisyemento para masiguradong COVID-free ang kanilang workplaces,” Teodoro said in a statement.
(The protocols for the transition should be followed strictly by the establishments to ensure that their workplaces remain COVID-19-free.)
“Kailangang masunod nang maigi ang safety protocols under the new normal (The safety protocols under the new normal should be followed thoroughly),” he added.
Aside from the mandatory wearing of face masks even while inside establishments, EO 22 also enforces physical distancing as much as possible, the regular checking of workers’ temperatures, hand sanitizing facilities near the entrance and exit areas of workers, and disinfection of establishments.
Markers should also be visible inside factories to serve as guides for people to remain a certain distance, to avoid direct contact in case one worker has contracted the disease.
Businesses inside Marikina are also ordered to do health checks and measures like isolating workers showing COVID-19 symptoms, disinfection of workspaces and posting of signages about the disease. They are also encouraged to hire people from within their communities to limit transactions and movement.
While preparations are underway, Teodoro still insisted that companies that could shift, or have already adopted a work-from-home scheme should continue doing so even if the GCQ is in effect.
“Para mas safe, ‘yung ilang malalaking companies ay naglagay na ng sleeping quarters para sa mga empleyado nila para limited ang movement nila sa labas para hindi na mahawa pa sila, at ang kanilang pamilya,” he noted.
(So that it would be safer, some large companies vowed to place sleeping quarters for their employees so that movement is limited and for their families to be safe from possible infections.)
Previously, Marikina assured that private sector employees would undergo mass testing before they return to work, to ensure that they do not have the disease.
The city government has been praised for its progressive approach to the pandemic, registering one of the lowest COVID-19 incidence even if it forms part of Metro Manila, considered as the health crisis’ epicenter. As of now, Marikina has 195 confirmed cases, with 21 deaths and 94 recoveries.
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