DELIVERY riders may refuse food or parcel deliveries due to extreme heat brought about by El Niño, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino met with various online platforms to discuss the welfare of riders during El Niño which is expected from November to early next year.
Attendees included representatives from Grab, Foodpanda, Lazada, Shopee, Angkas, and Moveit, among many others.
DOLE will release a labor advisory this week on the matter.
“Napagkasunduan kung papaano yung proteksyon sa mga riders. Ano yung mga hakbanging gagawin para masolusyunan ang mangyayari dahil sa sobrang init,” Tolentino said.
Among the proposals, which is included in the draft advisory, is on heat-index alerts. There will be four categories — the highest is the “extreme danger category” which happens if the heat index hits 52°C and above. Under this category all outdoor delivery assignments are suspended. Riders can refuse delivery and should not be penalized.
The next category is the “danger category,” or with a heat index from 42°C to 51°C. Riders can also refuse a delivery, while companies may restrict or reschedule a delivery.
The other two categories are ‘extreme caution category,’ or having a heat index from 33°C to 41°C and ‘caution category’ with a heat index of 27°C to 32°C.
Tolentino asserted that riders should not be sanctioned. He also recommended that companies notify riders and customers of weather conditions and what the heat index is.
“Lalabas doon sa app nila na ganito ka init, pwedeng hindi mag delivery. Aabisuhan din ang customer na ma-late yung delivery dahil sa sobrang init,” Tolentino added.
Another topic discussed was how malls and residential buildings can help delivery riders. One suggestion is for establishments to provide riders with a shaded area to rest, hopefully with a water station. Condominiums and office buildings are also encouraged to allow delivery riders to sort the packages indoors and not on the sidewalk.
“Kausapin, for example, mga malls, mga gasoline stations na mag-provide sila na pwedeng masilungan ng maayos ng mga riders,” said Monchito Ibrahim, lead convenor of the Alliance of Tech Innovators for the Nation.
Those present at the meeting welcomed the DOLE’s proposals. They were asked to submit their recommendations before the agency issues the labor advisory next week. (ABS-CBN News)
