MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government should authorize the use of development fund by local government units to grant hazard pay to garbage collectors who handle potentially dangerous waste, an environmental health organization said.
In a joint memorandum circular of the DILG and the Department of Budget and Management, LGUs were allowed to utilize 20% of their development fund to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in their localities. The directive, however, does not specify the payment of hazard pay to garbage collectors as an allowable expense.
This prompted EcoWaste Coalition to call on DILG Secretary Eduardo Año to authorize LGUs to use part of their development fund for hazard pay to the frontliners from the environmental sector.
“We urge the DILG, in coordination with DBM, to further unlock the restrictions on the use of local development fund to give LGUs the flexibility to provide appropriate hazard pay to garbage collectors servicing their areas during the ECQ,” Jove Benosa, EcoWaste Coalition zero waste campaigner, said.
“We request the DILG and the DBM to issue a follow-up memorandum circular to this effect,” he added.
The organization earlier appealed to the government to grant garbage collectors hazard pay “due to the risk they face in the performance of essential waste management services, which can be considered hazardous, especially under the extraordinary circumstance brought about by the coronavirus outbreak.”
“Without their indispensable service, we may be faced with even more environmental and health hazards from uncollected waste,” it stressed.
Two weeks ago, DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said a garbage collector in Cavite tested positive for COVID-19.
The new coroanvirus has already infected 7,579 people in the Philippines. Of the number, 862 have recovered, while 501 have died.