DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/22 October) – A city councilor is ringing alarm bells over the seemingly “business as usual” policy of some business process outsourcing (BPO) companies in the aftermath of the powerful twin earthquakes last October 10.
During her privilege speech on Tuesday, Davao City 1st District councilor Pamela A. Librado, chairperson of the Committee on Labor and Employment, said that several call center agents have reached out to her office to report what they perceived as “unfair practices” in their workplaces.
She said many of them lamented how their management did not prohibit work on-site despite visible cracks and damage in their offices, and asked them to report “even if the building inspection and clearances were still pending and not completed.”
Librado said that the “business as usual” policy following natural calamities like earthquakes endangers not only the work but also the lives of call center agents, noting that companies are unprepared to implement work-from-home arrangements for their workers.
She added that workers, particularly boarders, were not prepared for a work-from-home setup as many of them do not have conducive workspaces in their homes.
Many, she said, “were not given ample time to pull out their computer units and other crucial equipment” following the quake, while others were being issued computers despite not having a proper internet connection.
“Workers complained of exhaustion as they were scrambling to get enough rest, having to emotionally recover from the quake, and wait for the providers to install an internet connection. Worse, supervisors expected them to log in and take calls immediately at the start of their 9 p.m. shift on October 14,” she said.
According to Librado, over 85,000 workers are employed in the BPO sector in Davao, a globally recognized BPO destination.
The legislator said that employees should be given clear guidelines as to work shifts, refund for fare, and internet installation for those not having internet connections, overtime pay, and hazard pay.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake jolted Manay, Davao Oriental, at 9:43 a.m. on October 10, with impact felt across several areas of Mindanao and Visayas. Approximately nine hours later, at 7:12 p.m., a second earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 occurred in the same area.
On October 21, the 21st City Council of Davao passed a resolution providing more protection to BPO workers in the city by ensuring their safety and dignity in times of calamities.
The resolution states that there is a need to mandate the preparation and enforcement of workplace disaster preparedness plans by all BPO companies operating within the city in coordination with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
It said that BPOs must be required to conduct regular safety drills and ensure that facilities meet the required safety standards, including being structurally sound.
“BPOs should prohibit penalizing or deducting pay from employees unable to report to work during government-declared calamities or when public transportation and roads are deemed unsafe,” it added.
It also urged BPO companies to have flexible or remote work arrangements during calamities when feasible, and to protect the health and safety of their workers at all times.
“There is an urgent need to require BPO companies in Davao to have grievance and emergency hotlines within each BPO company to allow workers to report unsafe conditions or abusive practices during emergencies without fear of reprisal,” it added. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
