Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Thursday companies should adopt hygiene and health measures as the new protocol in business operations as the country prepares for the post-Enhanced Community Quarantine scenario.
“Minimum health standards such as strict social distancing, wearing of face masks, presence of sanitation stations, taking of body temperature, and provision of vitamins must always be observed in work and public places,” Lopez said in a statement.
“Likewise, the conduct of COVID-19 tests, provision of nearby accommodations and shuttle services, allowing more work-from-home arrangements, and healthcare preparedness and insurance from enterprises, should be the new normal as we ease into the new way of doing business,” he said.
Lopez said these measures should be strictly imposed to minimize the health risk among workers as essential enterprises restart operations.
“We need to have a new way of doing business to ensure that our significant gains during the ECQ and the collective efforts in flattening the curve will not be put to waste once ECQ is fully lifted,” the trade secretary said.
He said while health should be prioritized over the economy, “there is no dichotomy between the two if we take precautionary health measures when we do business and work with other people to minimize any health risk in a post-ECQ environment.”
The department cited industries and sectors for their notable interventions in protecting the safety and well-being of their employees, as well as in providing them with extensive health benefits.
Among these are leading export-oriented manufacturing industries, which provided additional health benefits such as near-site accommodation and shuttle services, hiring from local communities, provision of vitamins and medicines and regular check-ups and healthcare in the workplace.
These companies also provided face masks and digital thermometers to employees at no cost, and set up ambulances, isolation tents and clinics in their facilities.
The Trade Department said it was working with the Health and Labor Departments on a new set of guidelines to ensure minimum health protocols in all business operations.
Lopez acknowledged the importance of continuing working-from-home arrangements where possible to help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the rise of the e-commerce industry and delivery models should be further enhanced even after the ECQ.
