As part of their HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) in the Workplace Policy, Teleperformance Philippines, the country’s first and only five-time certified Great Place to Work company, recently held a program review and ceremonial turnover of wellness supplies and KISS (Keep It Safe & Sure) dispensers at their Teleperformance Vertis North site.
The ceremony of handing over the KISS dispensers, given by the Department of Health’s Project Red Ribbon Care Management Foundation and the Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., as part of the Comprehensive Corporate HIV Program, was the event’s main highlight. There are condoms, lubricants, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP), and HIV tests in the dispensers. On the site, there was also counseling and a demonstration of how to test for HIV.
Rachel Cacabelos, Vice President for Human Resources, Communication, and Marketing at Teleperformance Philippines, said, “This would show that TP is part of the community, both inside and outside. Because you need to change the environment and ecosystem, and TP can’t do that alone. We need private and government partners who will help us advocate for Teleperformance Philippines and all communities as a whole.
The program also wanted to look at Teleperformance’s HIV policy, its journey as a culture, and the milestones reached by an initiative that started in 2015 to make Teleperformance a safer and healthier workplace for everyone. The policy aims to keep testing and education going through e-learning, protect health and wellness, and have people lead change with their 3A’s (Adapt, Adopt, Advocate) Model, which has produced more than 80 advocates across the country and is still growing.
The program also follows Republic Act No. 11223, the Universal Health Care Act. This law ensures that all Filipinos have equal access to high-quality, low-cost healthcare goods and services and protects them from financial risk. It makes sure that every Filipino is healthy, safe from health risks, and has access to health care that is affordable, high-quality, and easy to get.
“Truly, this is what Universal Healthcare law embraces, for all, and one of those is healthy workplaces. That’s why I salute this group [Teleperformance Philippines], for doing this. Rest assured for our supporters to have these kinds of programs and in the future so we’re all in this together, and let’s expand this,” said Dr. Gretchel Tolentino, Assistant Regional Director of Department of Health (DOH).
Dr. Felix Labanda Jr. from the Department of Labor and Employment’s Bureau of Working Conditions said, “It is a big deal that HIV in the Workplace is really brought up as something that is very important, which means that it is not kept secret. The goal of the Department of Labor and Employment is always to get rid of the shame and discrimination for things that aren’t learned at work. This ceremony is a step toward making it clear that you’re not just working here; you’re also part of the solution.
Teleperformance’s HIV in the Workplace Policy is part of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives, which the company has been promoting for its employees and the communities it has taken in.
