To Revive and Thrive: Covid-19 Information Access for Small and Medium Enterprises

The Onset of a Pandemic

The coronavirus disease or mostly known as Covid-19 made a great impact on small and medium businesses alike. Layoff of workers, declaration of bankruptcy, and closing down of enterprises are happening. 

Business owners are looking for solutions for them to be able to restart and regenerate revenue. Sustainability is key and to achieve this, the owners must first gain access to vital and relevant information to be able to implement the methods of crisis management. 

During Covid-19

It is better to prevent the disease than cure it when it has already struck a person. Since Covid-19 has also asymptomatic cases, people shall follow the guidelines during and after its outbreak. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) must abide by the rules set by the Department of Trade Industry.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) guidelines: 

Businesses allowed during the community quarantine:

• Manufacturing
• Retail, and service establishments
• business process outsourcing (BPOs)
• Establishments or tenants in malls that are offering primary goods and services like:
  • Groceries
  • Supermarkets
  • Banks
  • Pharmacies
  • Health clinics
  • Bookstores
  • Hardware stores.
    
    

These are subject to these certain restrictions: 

1. Mass gatherings are prohibited.
2. There shall be flexible working arrangements pursuant to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Advisory 09, Series of 2020. These include telecommuting, work from home, reduction of workdays/hours, rotation of workers, and forced leaves.
3. Take-out and delivery services are the only available options for food stalls and restaurants in malls. 
4. There will be no access to places of amusement such as night clubs, bars, taverns, cocktail lounges, discotheques, beer parlors and pubs.

Precautionary measures

• STAY AT HOME.
• HAVE A SAFE DISTANCE WITH PEOPLE. MAINTAIN GOOD HYGIENE.
• Disinfect your body especially the hands since these are the carriers of germs.
• Sanitize your home’s frequently touched surfaces. 
• Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with tissue or your elbow.

Be fully aware 

• Monitor the data about the Covid-19 cases by listening to the radio, watching news on the television, and reading information from credible websites and social media platforms. 

Covid-19 related business & current affairs:

• Philippine News Agency (PNA)
• Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO)
• Department Of Health (DOH)

Updates & Hotline:

• DOH Hotline: (02) 894-COVID
• PH Coronavirus Updates Telegram Group

International Covid-19 Resources:

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Center For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC)

Covid-19 Trackers:

• Our World In Data
• DOH Case Tracker
• Philippine COVID-19 statistics

Business guides for Covid-19 management:

• Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (CDC)
• Facebook Small Business Resource Hub
• Inside Google Marketing: 5 principles guiding our media teams in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak
• Leadership, Resilience, and the COVID-19 Outbreak (Boston Consulting Group)

Loans 

Business owners can access loans from the websites of Small Business assistance at www.dti.gov.ph/covid19/assistance and Small Business Corporation at  www.sbgfc.org.ph. 

Adapt to the “New Normal”

To lessen the casualties brought about by the pandemic, entrepreneurs should  be flexible in adjusting to the new working arrangements such as having remote work for their employees and using digital tools in conferences and meetings that are mentioned in our facebook page.

Companies can also do mobile payments and other digital transactions that are faster and safer than personal meetups. In this way, they help ensure the worker’s safety. 

Be Proactive and Resilient

In order to thrive, business owners should  have solid disaster risk reduction  and crisis management plans. They must have the will to recover or adapt to sudden misfortunes and rapid turnover of events.

Final thoughts

We hope you find this list helpful to thrive during and even after this Covid-19 crisis. Did we miss anything that you want us to include in the list? Let us know!

If you need help, DJKA Business Services Inc. is here to help you with your business registration, tax compliance, accounting and bookkeeping needs.

You can call us at (02) 618-8003 or schedule an online consultation with our finance and admin manager at your most convenient time and date here.