Provisions for Ecozone Shuttle Buses and Continued Implementation of ECQ Virus Prevention and Rental Payment Relief Measures

April 23, 2020

PEZA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 025-20

 

This is with reference to DTI Memorandum Circular No. 20-14 dated 11 April 2020, ensuring enhanced operation for BPO companies and export enterprises, and their service providers throughout the extended Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) period. The MC allowed ecozone locators the option to shuttle their workers instead of the mandatory provision for housing — provided they will arrange for point-to-point (P2P) service, strictly observe social distancing and frequently disinfect their shuttle vehicles.

Given this directive, most of the locator companies opted for shuttling their workers due to lack of affordable and available accommodation facilities within the periphery of the ecozones. However, with the increasing demand for ecozone shuttle buses, it has become more difficult for locators to look for available transport providers which prevent them from availing the stay out/P2P shuttle service option for the workers. In some cases, the lack of transportation has limited their deployment of workers and ramping up operations. HTcADC

As such, we urge all PEZA-registered ecozone developers to extent support to their respective locators by either linking them up to transport providers or better yet, directly providing shuttle services to their skeletal workers. This assistance may be done by the ecozone developers as a CSR project or as a revenue neutral activity, which will be appreciated much by their locators particularly those SMEs who are struggling to maintain a dedicated shuttle service for their workers. Surely, this critical support can be of big help in the retention of jobs as we engage the locators to re-start and enhance their ecozone operations in this very trying times.

In addition, we would like to remind ecozone developers to continue implementing COVID-19 prevention measures as contained under PEZA Memorandum Circular Nos. 2020-0016 and 2020-0021 Rev1 dated 13 March 2020 and 06 April 2020, respectively. These include, among others, the regular disinfection of ecozone premises and provision of disinfectant chambers through the installation of gantry facilities within the main entrance gate of the ecozone to ensure spraying of incoming trucks/vehicles. We have asked your locators to observe as well this policy on disinfection of their workplace and production areas.

Lastly, we would like to appeal to our ecozone developers including the IT Center operators on the strict compliance to the provisions of RA No. 11469, n otherwise known as the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act" and the DTI MC No. 20-04 dated 15 March 2020 on rental payment relief measures for their tenant-locators. In our case, we have extended a 90-day grace period for the locators' lot/SFB rental payments in the public ecozones. In this connection, we suggest that PHILEA consider the inclusion of IT Center developers for possible membership into your association.

All ZMs/OICs shall assist the developer/operators and locator companies within their Area of Responsibility (AOR) in the successful implementation of the above measures as well as other guidelines as provided in our previous circulars and Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 (IATF) advisories. CAIHTE

Thank you very much for your support to PEZA and its valued ecozone locators — as we endeavor to maintain a COVID-free ecozones and to keep the economy afloat by sustaining the needed jobs and exports, while protecting public health and safety during this COVID crisis.

(SGD.) BGEN CHARITO B. PLAZA MNSA, PhDDirector General

 

n Note from the Publisher: Written as "RA No. 11649" in the original document.