BY LESLIE ANN AQUINO
The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said big companies or those with total assets of above P100 million located inside special economic zones and other areas under the jurisdiction of investment promotion agencies are “required to provide shuttle services for their employees.”
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said this in an advisory issued over the weekend.
Based on the DoLE-DTI advisory, the provision of shuttle services shall be consistent with Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Resolution No. 69 dated Sept. 7, 2020.
The IATF guideline states that “large-sized private establishments with total assets above P100,000,000 located inside special economic zones and other areas under the jurisdiction of Investment Promotion Agencies are required to provide shuttle services for their employees.”
“Assets shall refer to total assets, inclusive of those arising from loans but exclusive of the land on which the particular business entity’s office, plant, and equipment are situated. (Section 3, Republic Act 9501 or the Magna Carta for MSMEs),” the advisory said.
Bello said in case the private establishments are unable to financially sustain the provision of shuttle services, they may adopt alternative arrangements, such as “cost-sharing, partial vouchers for use of Transport Network Vehicle Services, and other alternative arrangements to facilitate the transportation needs of their employees.”
The joint advisory also stipulates that “employers may contract the services of Public Utility Vehicles (PUV) to subsidize public transport operations.” (Leslie Ann Aquino)
