Food and sanitation chemicals maker earmarks P100M in fight vs virus

Food and plastic input manufacturer D&L Industries has committed P100 million in financial support to its employees and various communities and institutions amid the global war against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“[Our] plants remain ope­rational in order to prevent any disruption in the supply of much needed raw materials in the food and sanitation chemicals industry. This is only possible as our people remain committed in fulfilling their various roles in the organization. Likewise, we are equally committed in taking care of them and providing adequate assistance when they are most vulnerable,” D&L president and chief executive Alvin Lao said.

D&L has committed to pay all employees their full sala­ries for the duration of the Luzon lockdown or until April 13, whether they are physically present in the office or are working from home. In addition, the company has released half of the employees’ 13th month pay last March 17.

“We have said many times before that our people are our most important asset. This is especially true for a manufacturing company like us wherein people are the backbone of the entire production process,” Lao added.

D&L is providing further compensation to rank-and-file employees included in the company’s skeleton workforce. This comes in the form of a 30-percent increase in regular rate, 60-percent increase in overtime rate, meal stubs and provisions for disinfecting and sanitation chemicals for their households.

In order to prevent emplo­yees from unnecessary exposure during their commute to work, the company is provi­ding temporary shelter with enough space for a comfor­table stay and Wi-Fi access to production employees who live far from the office.

Through the group’s foundation, Lao Foundation Inc., the company has given financial assistance to 99 families in communities where D&L operations are located. The foundation has also approved an initial budget of P5 million to extend various forms of assistance to institutions that are in most need. —DORIS DUMLAO-ABADILLA INQ