MANILA—The Civil Service Commission (CSC), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Health (DOH) issued CSC-DOH-DOLE Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of 2020 that would ensure the health and safety of government workers in their work places.
CSC Commissioner Aileen Lizada, during a live interview over DZBB, Tuesday, said the joint memorandum, which would take effect on May 22, aims to institutionalize occupational safety and health (OSH) in government workplaces to protect government workers from danger.
The issuance is timely and more relevant amid the Covid-19 health crisis in the country. She said, “nandito po sa Memorandum Circular ang mga guidelines na magamit sa heads of office sa mga tanggapan at ahensya ng gobyerno upang makagawa sila ng sariling OSH na manatiling ligtas ang mga mangagawa lalo na ngayon na may pandemic.”
The said guidelines also provide a long list of reasonable working conditions and workplace standards that agencies must comply, including provision of OSH standard-compliant personal protective equipment (PPE) and devices to workers, among others.
The CSC is also encouraging government agencies and offices that are under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and general community quarantine (GCQ) to adopt the alternative working system such as working from home, maintaining skeletal work force, 4-day compressed work week, and other work arrangements.
“Basta malinaw lang ang work plan at deliverables ay pwedeng magkasundo ang head of office sa kanyang mga personnel kung anong arrangement sa trabaho. Kung may conference room sila, ang iba ay may training center at facilities na hindi nagamit ay pwedeng gawing pansamantalang lodging house ng kanilang staff, sa gusto lang, upang hindi na sila uuwi o magtravel ng malayo,” she said.
Commissioner Lizada also encouraged heads of office to outsource the transportation facilities of private buses and vans to shuttle their personnel. “Tingnan nila ang budget at baka pwede nilang ma-hire yong mga van na naka-standby lang dahil sa Covid upang gawing shuttle bus para sa mga personnel nila. Open pa ang franchise ng shuttle bus sa Land Transportation Franchising Board” she said.
