DPWH CARES FOR COVID AFFECTED EMPLOYEES

Secretary Mark A. Villar said that DPWH extends financial assistance to help its employees including those under contract of service or job orders that are probable, suspected and confirmed infected by COVID-19 with an available fund in the amount of P4.27 million raised from personal contributions of officials and employees.

The pooled funds is being managed by Stakeholders Relations Service, also the office in charge of the fund raising activity. The DPWH Employees Union is in charge of distributing the cash assistance and health packs such as vitamins, face masks and alcohol to affected DPWH employees.

Secretary Villar said that although stringent safety and health practices are observed at DPWH workplace, the corona virus that may be anywhere poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of employees especially those who are part of the skeletal force.

In view of the need to carry out urgent measures to meet the national health emergency, DPWH is involved in the delivery of mission-critical service such as in the repurposing of buildings into “Heal as One” quarantine centers, hospital repair works, disinfection and sanitation activities, transport of health frontliners and government relief assistance, among others, added Secretary Villar.

To monitor health conditions of workers as threat of virus has been impacting how people live and work daily, Secretary Villar opened a COVID-19 Help Desk for the consolidation of report on employees through the Secretary’s Hotline 165-02 managed by the Stakeholders Relations Service.

Secretary Villar believed that the cash assistance will somehow soften the distress or burden of financial worries that afflicted DPWH employees might experience as they may have fewer available resources to cover hospitalization expenses. To date, two (2) confirmed COVID cases of employees from Makati City and Montalban, Rizal are recovering at hospitals and one (1) probable case from Davao del Norte.

With some three (3) members of DPWH family from Manila, Quezon Province and Davao unable to win the fight against COVID-19, their surviving beneficiaries were given burial assistance.

Cash aid are also provided for the medication of 29 employees classified suspected cases under category A: 11 residing in Quezon City; six (6) in Tagum City, Davao del Norte; three (3) in Gattaran, Cagayan; two (2) each from Manila and Davao de Oro; and one (1) each from Makati, Cainta, Marikina, Davao City and Butuan. (DPWH PRESS RELEASE)