DILG urged to allow LGUs to fund for hazard pay for garbage collectors
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.
Photo shows members of the Philippine National Police deployed in Manila amid COVID-19 threat. The STAR/Edd Gumban
President Rodrigo Duterte on March 16, 2020 declares an enhanced community quarantine over all of mainland Luzon, an expansion of an earlier general community quarantine over the National Capital Region.
The entire National Capital Region—16 cities and a municipality—is under community quarantine from March 15 to April 14, which means the enforcement of social distancing measures like letting fewer people on public transportation, reduced store hours, and the possibiity of curfews.
According to a memorandum issued by the Palace on Saturday, March 14, the quarantine means that "movement of people shall be limited to accessing basic necessities and work; and uniformed personnel and quarantine officers shall be present at border points."
Travel restrictions in and out of the capital will also be implemented.
A labor group says another lockdown will never resolve rising COVID-19 cases in the Philippines after the government announced that Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal are placed under the enhanced community quarantine starting Monday.
“The Duterte government seems to be deliberate in focusing its efforts in imposing quarantine and lockdown measures instead of addressing the rising cases of COVID-19 and the worsening state of the pandemic through medical solutions and scientific approach,” says Defend Jobs Philippines.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque says the implementation of enhanced community quarantine is meant to slow down the increase of COVID-19 cases, so hospitals and health workers will not be overwhelmed.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announces that Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal are placed under enhanced community quarantine starting Monday, March 29.
Tuguegarao City will be placed under enhanced community quarantine from January 20 to 29 due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the city.
Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba approved the request of Tuguegarao Mayor Jefferson Soriano to place the city under ECQ for 10 days.
According to the Cagayan Provincial Information Office, the city currently has 246 active cases.
BREAKING NEWS | ENERO 19, 2021 RIATF INAPRUBAHAN NA ANG PAGSASAILALIM SA TUGUEGARAO CITY SA 10-ARAW NA...
Posted by Cagayan Provincial Information Office on Tuesday, 19 January 2021
Batangas, one of the provinces hardest hit by the novel coronavirus, has reported no new cases of the disease for two consecutive days.
The provincial DOH Office says the number of COVID-19 cases in the province stood at 91 with no new cases as of Wednesday afternoon.
Lipa City has the most cases with 26, followed by Batangas City (21) and Nasugbu (11).
Tanauan City has the fourth most cases with eight, followed by Bauan (5) and Alitagtag (3). Cuenca and Sto. Tomas City had two cases each, while the municipalities of Calaca, Lemery, Lian, Lobo, Mabini, Mataas na Kahoy, Padre Garcia, San Jose, San Juan, San Pascual and Taal had one case each, respectively. — The Filipino Connection
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