• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Bacolod City government extended support to virtual assistants and online workers struggling with ongoing power outages, by expanding free co-working services at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC), starting yesterday evening.
It will serve as a nighttime extension of the existing support centers operating at 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. and will run until the power is fully restored.
City Administrator Atty. Mark Steven Mayo said that this temporary facility is capable of accommodating up to 100 individuals who are working as virtual assistants and online workers.
The space will welcome 60 non-voice workers who will be positioned in the BCGC lobby, while 40 voice workers will be situated on the second floor.
Mayo stated that telecommunications companies will install reliable internet connections at the BCGC to support residents, especially those residing in areas that have not yet had their electricity supply restored.
He added that a pre-registration process will be implemented to ensure that the internet capacity can adequately serve the volume of online workers, and the specific guidelines will be published online.
“We know these past days have been incredibly challenging especially for virtual assistants and online workers. We see the impact this power outage has had on your livelihood, and we understand the difficulties,” Mayor Greg Gasataya said in a statement.
Gasataya explained that the online workers only relied on existing co-working space in Ayala Capitol Central during the day that only operates until 6:30 p.m.*
