MANILA – Laban Konsyumer, Inc. (LKI) President and Founder, lawyer Victorio Mario Dimagiba said personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks and face shields should be provided for free to the vulnerable sectors and workers for free.
In a radio interview Wednesday, the former senior trade official said face masks and face shields should be part of the government’s relief goods to the vulnerable sectors.
“Give that as part of your relief efforts, at least for their first-time use,” Dimagiba said.
The government requires wearing face masks as part of the minimum health protocol to slow down the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Transport authorities also require commuters to wear face shields in public transportation.
The government said wearing face masks and face shields at the same time while practicing proper physical distancing will cut Covid-19 spread by 99 percent.
On Wednesday morning, the departments of Health, Interior and Local Government, Labor and Employment, and Trade and Industry as well as the National Task Force Against Covid-19 launched the community distributions of face masks in Rizal.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered to provide free face masks to vulnerable sectors, including households with senior citizens, pregnant women, persons with special health conditions, and beneficiaries of social amelioration program.
The government targets to give 50 pieces of face masks per household in these vulnerable sectors.
Dimagiba said it should be an obligation of employers to provide free sets of PPE, such as face masks and face shields to their employees.
“In my stock knowledge of the provision of Labor Code, there is a provision saying that it’s (the) obligation of the employer to provide necessary tools and implement(s). I think we can interpret that provision of the Labor Code that employers should provide these necessities and these will be implemented by your workers,” Dimagiba said in Filipino. (PNA)
