MANILA, Philippines-- Metro Manila wage earners and non-regular workers with no leave credits to spare can apply with the government for temporary jobs during a month-long lockdown that would see malls getting shuttered and jobs lost.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III told Philstar.com in a text message the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) "can give emergency employment" to individuals losing jobs as a result of closures during the lockdown that begins March 15.
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But Bello also said for the benefit to be availed, workers losing their jobs, which can include mall clerks with no leave benefits, would have to apply first before a DOLE office. The application would also take days to be evaluated, and if granted will only be valid for 30 days.
Only one person per household may also avail of the benefit, according to DOLE guidelines on emergency employment uploaded on its website.
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the lockdown of Metro Manila for one month, a drastic response meant to put under quarantine 12 million people at the current local epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak-2019 (COVID-19).
While businesses have voiced out support to the move, how the measure will be implemented remained fuzzy. On Saturday, the council of Metro Manila mayors added to the confusion by recommending a nine-hour curfew starting 8 p.m. during the lockdown period.
The plan, if passed by city councils, would directly hit a large fragment of more than 700,000 jobs in shopping malls, a key retail outlet for many Filipinos, most of which are located in Metro Manila. Company data showed that of the 74 SM Supermalls, the country's largest mall operator, 23 are located in the National Capital Region. There are also six Robinsons Malls, 17 Ayala Malls and 13 Megaworld Lifestyle Malls in the area.
At the start of the month, DOLE already requested additional P2.8 billion in funding from the Office of the President, funds it will use to provide jobs to people who will lose their livelihood as the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) tempers consumer activities.
Retail outlets must open
In its supplemental Labor Advisory No. 11, DOLE said companies reeling from the impact of COVID-19 should adopt flexible work arrangements, including work-from-home mechanisms, as "better alternatives to outright termination."
Firms are also allowed to charge absences by their employees into their leave credits.
"All manufacturing, retail and service establishments are advised to remain in operation during the community quarantine period, provided that social distancing and other safety and health measures are strictly observed," the advisory said.