COTABATO CITY: The Ministry of Labor and Employment in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) ordered employers Monday to prevent and mitigate health risks at workplaces across the region. As the temperature continues to rise due to the El Niño phenomenon, BARMM Labor Minister Muslimin Sema directed employers to take appropriate actions to lessen the impact of extreme heat at work. In the past five days, the state weather bureau reported that the heat index in Cotabato City and nearby provinces averaged 41-42 degrees Celsius. In his order, Sema urged employers to implement effective ventilation or heat insulation in all areas where workers are present, ensure that adequate drinking water is provided, and properly assess the level of workers' exposure to extreme temperatures in their respective work areas, among other things. "Employers are also advised to immediately coordinate with the nearest hospitals for proper transfer and referral of their workers should any emergency occur," Se ma said. Sema also recommended that private employers adopt flexible work arrangements to reduce their workers' heat exposure by adjusting work hours while maintaining the total number of hours worked, whether on a daily or weekly basis. In North Cotabato province, six persons have died due to heat stroke. Source: Philippines News Agency
