DOLE backs free shuttle service for call center agents

CEBU, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment supports the city government's call for call center companies to provide free transportation to their employees on graveyard shift.

DOLE-7 regional director Elias Cayanong echoes the proposal of former city councilor Arsenio Pacaña for the call centers management to provide shuttle service if not sleeping quarters for their employees who choose to stay in the office until the daybreak.

Both Cayanong and Pacaña agreed that the welfare of call center agents should be considered by their employers because some of them have been fallen victims to robberies on their way home late at night.

Pacaña said it is very difficult for the police to prevent the occurrence of crimes at all times because there are only 1,000 policemen in the city guarding close to 900,000 population.

Cayanong said the call centers that are employing hundreds of workers must provide transportation that will be assigned to pick up their workers in different terminals as one way of protecting their personnel from being victimized by the criminals.

The labor official also supported Pacaña's suggestion to provide sleeping quarters for those employees coming from far flung areas.

It was in last year that Cebu City Council had passed such resolution calling the attention of call center employers to protect their workers.

Cayanong said he already brought the matter to the call center companies wherein the call center managers allegedly supported the suggestions.

However, they still need the approval from the management before this could be implemented.

Former Cebu City mayor and now South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña said there are about 50,000 call center employees who are working in at least 50 call centers in the city, most of them are based in IT Park and Cebu Business Park. (THE FREEMAN)