1 week ago
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Jean Mangaluz - Philstar.com
March 4, 2025 | 4:57pm
A woman uses an umbrella to shield from the sun during a hot day in Manila on March 3, 2025. Soaring temperatures shut down schools in nearly half the Philippine capital on March 3, local officials said, as the torrid dry season started in the tropical Southeast Asian country.
AFP/Jam Sta Rosa
MANILA, Philippines — Schools across the country have suspended classes due to high heat indices to protect students—but what about workers?
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has outlined several measures that employers should take.
The government agency initially issued the guidelines in 2023. Labor Advisory 08 states that private sector employers are required to adopt measures to prevent heat stress in the workplace.
Under the advisory, employers must assess workers' risk of heat exposure, taking into account existing comorbidities.
They are also required to implement measures such as improving ventilation to reduce heat and humidity. Employers may adjust rest breaks to allow workers to recover from heat exposure.
For jobs that require working in high temperatures, employers must provide temperature-appropriate uniforms and personal protective equipment, according to DOLE.
Workers must also be provided with free and adequate drinking water to stay hydrated.
Employers are also urged to conduct advocacy campaigns on the symptoms and management of heat stress.
For work-from-home arrangements, DOLE allows employers and employees to decide on the setup themselves, depending on the situation.
“The employers and the workers may agree to adopt a flexible work arrangement to limit exposure to extreme heat and strenuous activities, by adjusting the work hours while maintaining the total number of work hours within the day or week until such time that the weather condition has improved,” the advisory read.
DOLE also said that its regional offices can extend help to employers in developing and reviewing work safety and health measures to control heat stress.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) recently called for the imposition of measures such as:
- Heat breaks - Workers, especially those who are outside. Should have a break during the sun’s peak hours from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Buddy system - A monitoring system to make sure workers check on each other.
- Heat orientation sessions - Training sessions and guides to educate workers on the symptoms of heat stress.
“As temperatures continue to spike across Metro Manila and nearby provinces, no worker should suffer heat exhaustion, collapse from dehydration, or, worst, die on the job due to preventable heat stress. Protecting workers from extreme heat is not optional but a shared moral and legal obligation of labor, employers, Government, and all stakeholders,” stated TUCP President and House Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito Mendoza.
DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma told Philstar.com that the TUCP’s suggestions were in line with current work standards.
“The advisory welcomes the suggestion of TUCP as workers deserve ample protection and safeguards in their places of work. Health and safety of workers, as far as the DOLE is concerned is non-negotiable and a top priority,” Laguesma said.
