8K establishments in CL checked for health standards compliance

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Thousands of business establishments in Central Luzon were monitored and post-audited by the Department of Trade and Industry offices in Central Luzon for their compliance to mandatory health standards to prevent and control Covid19 infection, as of December 14, 2020.

The DTI Region III (DTI-3) reported that a total of 8,458 establishments that were allowed to operate under theguidelinessetby the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF) were checked by the agency together with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and local government units.

DTI-3 Director Judith P. Angeles said that from the total number of establishments monitored,3,705 of themare retail stores while 2,653 are dine-in food establishments, 1,442 are barbershops or salons, 298 are logistics service providers, and 190 aremanufacturing firms. She furthered that personal aesthetic care establishments,call centers and related establishments, construction firms, internet cafes, gyms and fitness centers, pet grooming shops,and testing and tutorial centers were likewise visited by the joint inspecting teams.

The DTI, DOLE and local government units conduct post-audit of establishments to check on their compliance in terms of workplace safety and health, guidelines for reducing transmission and increasing workforce resilience, Covid-19 reporting and notification, signages and visual displays, awareness programs, contact tracing and isolation and referral.

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO---The Social Security System (SSS) said its new contribution schedule and Workers’ Investment and Saving Program (WISP) will be implemented starting January 2021 pursuant to Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018.

In a virtual press conference held today, SSS President and CEO Aurora C. Ignacio said that the SSS’contribution rate would be set at 13 percent from the current 12 percent next year.

She added that the minimum monthly salary credit (MSC) would be adjusted to P3,000 from the current P2,000, except for Kasambahay and OFW members whose minimum MSC will respectively remain at P1,000 and P8,000, while the maximum MSC will be at P25,000 from P20,000.

“As to the contribution share of the employer and employee, the additional one percent will be equally divided, thus the employer share will be at 8.5 percent from 8 percent, while the employee share will be at 4.5 percent from 4 percent. It applies to employed members, land-based OFW members in countries with Bilateral Labor Agreements with the Philippines, and sea-based OFW members,” Ignacio said.

Historically, from 1980 to 2016, the contribution rate was increased only four times, while pensions were increased 22 times, Ignacio explained. Further, in 2017, a P1,000 additional monthly benefit was implemented for all pensioners