Workers told to have proof of residence, job amid Metro-wide ‘lockdown’ 

March 14, 2020

  The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Saturday advised workers living outside the National Capital Region (NCR) to have their proof of employment and residency ready as community quarantine in Metro Manila goes into effect Sunday. 

Based on Labor Advisory No. 11-2020, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said workers outside NCR must present these in checkpoints so they can report for work in Metro Manila. 

These, Bello said, include an identification card containing the company address/place of work and employee's place of residence; or certification of employment issued by the company that shall state the place of work. 

Bello said self-employed workers shall be allowed to travel to and from the NCR, provided that proof of business or economic activity must be presented at border checkpoints.

Bello said those delivering goods such as food, raw materials, etc. should have access in Metro Manila, provided they present proof of delivery receipt stating the address of the establishment to receive the goods. 

Bello said all healthcare facilities shall be fully operational, with their employees to be allowed to move from Metro Manila to other regions and vice versa. 

Bello also said all manufacturing retail and service establishments are advised to remain in operation during the community quarantine period, as long as proper social distancing, or at least one meter radius between and among workers, and other safety and health measures are strictly observed.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious (IATF-EID) raised the Code Alert System to Code Red Sub-level 2 due to the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

This resulted to the imposition of a "community quarantine" over the entire Metro Manila region beginning March 15 and will last until April 14. DMS