BACOLOD City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran is appealing to the public not to discriminate against the call center agents who are working in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in the city.
Familiaran, chairperson of Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force against coronavirus disease (Covid-19), said yesterday that with the recent Covid-19 case in one of the BPOs in the city, he’s appealing to the public to stop from stigmatizing or discriminating against call center agents.
He said the BPO industry has transformed into one of the lifeblood of the Philippine economy especially in Bacolod City.
Five more persons in Bacolod City, one of them a call center agent who were earlier tested positive for Covid-19, have died due to Covid-19.
Familiaran pointed out that any acts relative to the discrimination, if the prevention to do a legitimate act is by means of threat, violence or intimidation is grave coercion, under Article 286 or Revised Penal Code, punishable by the penalty of prison correctional for six months and one day to six years of imprisonment and a fine not exceeding P6,000.
He said if the discrimination causes emotional distress to a person then the crime is unjust vexation, punishable by arresto menor, one day to 30 days, of imprisonment and a fine ranging from P1,000 to P40,000, or both imprisonment and fine.
Meanwhile, Mayor Evelio Leonardia also expressed his gratitude to all the health workers and frontliners in the city.
“To all the health workers and fronliners, thank you very much. We know how hard you’ve worked and we know how long you’ve worked all this time. If not because of your work, the job of fighting Covid-19 would be extremely difficult. We need you and we want you to be with us in this fight,” Leonardia said.
He said: “I assure you that all these that you’ve done for us, for the people of Bacolod, for the City of Bacolod, you are being admired, appreciated and respected because in reality you are heroes and you are our heroes in the City of Bacolod. May God bless you always.