Mass layoffs in tourism, hospitality sector should be prevented amid COVID-19 —Gatchalian

Mass layoffs should be prevented among workers in the Philippine tourism and hospitality sector which is seen to take a hit amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said on Monday.

"Talagang ine-expect natin sa tourism industry this year eh wala ho talagang papasok na turista," Gatchalian said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

Due to the adverse impact of the health crisis to the industry, the lawmaker said the government should provide wage subsidies to tourism and hospitality workers.

"Unahin natin ang mga empleyado dahil ang mga may-ari, makakakain 'yan eh. Pero 'yung empleyado kapag tinanggal mo 'yan sa trabaho, problema na ho tayo dahil hindi natin sila mahahanap at wala silang makakain," he said.

Gatchalian suggested expanding the Department of Labor and Employment's (DOLE) COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) which aims to give cash assistance to formal workers.

"Ang gobyerno ang magbibigay ng subsidiya through the corporations para tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang kanilang employment at mayroon pa rin silang matatanggap na subsidiya," the senator said.

"Hindi lang ganoon kalaki. Siguro hindi kaparehas ng kanilang suweldo pero may makukuha sila para makatawid sa krisis natin," he added.

The global pandemic has left the Philippine tourism industry bleeding as tourist arrivals dropped by 41% in February.

COVID-19 has already infected over 2.8 million people across the globe and claimed the lives of more than 193,000.

In the Philippines, there are 7,579 confirmed cases, with 501 deaths and 862 recoveries as of April 26.

More than two million workers from different sectors have been displaced locally after the government imposed community quarantines to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, according to DOLE.

Meanwhile, the applications for CAMP have been recently suspended to give way to the P51-billion wage subsidy program being rolled out by the Department of Finance (DOF) for the middle-income workers. —KG, GMA News