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Comply or face harsher remedy, COVID-19 nightmare not over yet

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“We have issued the company with a very strong warning. If they cannot comply with the minimum health protocols, we will impose a much harsher remedy,” Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said in reaction to the recent COVID-19 outbreak at Transcom Bacolod.

“I’ve instructed the EOC to also issue reminders and warnings to all call centers to strictly follow all health protocols because they have similar physical set-ups and working environments. What happened in this company can happen to any call center if they are not careful,” Leonardia was quoted as saying in a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office today, February 3.

The Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is also reminding the public not to let their guards down, as the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, as seen in the recent outbreak of cases at Transcom Bacolod where 41 of its employees tested positive for COVID-19, the press release said.

“The outbreak in a BPO company is a stark reminder that this nightmare with COVID-19 is not yet over. We would like to remind everyone to continue to strictly observe proper health protocols to keep the workplace coronavirus-free,” EOC executive director and City Administrator Em Ang said.

The City Legal Office ordered the suspension of Transcom operations for 48 hours for sanitation and disinfection. It is scheduled to resume operations tomorrow.

City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan said the company may resume operations Thursday (Feb. 4) but subject to evaluation by the medical doctors of the City Health Office.

“We must strictly follow health protocols,” Bayatan stressed.

“All of the BPOs in Bacolod are registered with the Bacolod Contact Tracing (BaCTrac) but some are not using the BaCTrac system for their employees,” Dr. Chris Sorongon, EOC deputy medical for data assessment and analysis, also said.

Using the BaCTrac QR code is mandatory for business establishments in Bacolod.

“I am shocked. They are a business involved in technology; such a thing – a QR code – must have been understood by them,” Councilor Renecito Novero said.

“It’s both ironic and tragic. Using the QR code should have been second nature to them”, Leonardia also said.

Under Section 13 of the BaCTrac ordinance, any government office or private establishment that fails to scan all BaCTrac cards of clients and visitors and/or maintain a manual logbook for those who have not yet registered with the BaCTrac will be penalized with a P1,000 fine for the first offense, a P2,000 fine for the second offense, and a P5,000 fine or imprisonment of more than six months, or both, at the discretion of the court, for the third offense.

The manual logbook is only for clients or persons who are not yet registered in the BaCTrac, clarified Ang. She said that the EOC will be giving due notice to establishments which do not have any log history, as per report of the data center.*

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