BACOLOD City – The Emergency Operations Center Task Force (EOC-TF) is closely monitoring the compliance of business process outsourcing (BPO) firm Transcom to safety health protocols against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The firm’s Bacolod site was shut down by the City Legal Office on Feb. 2 and 3 for decontamination after 41 of its employees tested positive for COVID-19.
Dr. Chris Sorongon, deputy for medical data and analysis, said the company was now 80 to 85 percent compliant based on their site inspection.
Changes have been implemented, including the use of Bacolod Contact Tracing (BaC-Trac) system.
“It’s now up and running,” Sorongon said.
Last week, Transcom’s top executives said they were unaware the use of BaC-Trac system was mandatory, the reason why they were unable to register.
“I don’t believe that we have received an official ordinance and to the best of our knowledge we were under an impression that it was voluntary, not mandatory,” Transcom worldwide chief executive officer for global English region Mark Lyndsell said.
Sorongon dismissed the claim, saying their representative attended the meeting on the BaCTrac system implementation in October last year.
He added that notice of violation issued to Transcom was just a form of reminder and no fine was imposed on the company.
Major recommendations of the EOC-TF included the installation of a high-efficiency particulate air filter, exhaust fan, and air purifier to improve the air circulation within the call center facility.
On Saturday, the EOC-TF will conduct a repeat swabbing of the employees who tested negative for COVID-19 during the recent surveillance testing participated by 598 workers.
Once they yield another negative result expected to come out on Sunday, these employees can then report to work on Monday, Sorongon said.
For now, Transcom targets only 121 of its onsite employees to return to work, after it earlier increased to 95 percent its offsite or work-from-home operations. (With a report from PNA/PN)
