TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Wishnutama Kusubandio asserted that workers in the tourism sector who were affected by severance as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic should be prioritized to receive the Pre-Employment Card. Wishnutama said that the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has coordinated with the Manpower Ministry to record the workers.

"Through coordination and synergy between ministries and institutions, workers being severed and sent home will be registered for the Pre-Employment Card program gradually in the next four to five weeks," Wishnutama said on Friday, May 1, 2020.

He further explained that currently, the tourism sector, including hotels and restaurant businesses, are some of the most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Compared to other sectors, Wishnutama said that the impact of the coronavirus infection in the tourism sector reaches up to 70 percent.

Meanwhile, workers and businesses of the tourism sectors who suffered the worst impact are located in Bali, Riau Archipelago, North Sulawesi, and other regions that have been subjected to the large-scale social restriction program (PSBB).

Not only the pre-worker card, Wishnutama said that the government, including the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, has taken steps to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, including severance.

Furthermore, Wishnutama explained that around 56 million workers in the formal sector will receive tax incentives and relaxation of social security premiums. Other steps, Wishnutama said, will include recording informal workers to distribute social security stimulus.

Government ministries and institutions will also increase the number of labor-intensive programs to achieve high labor absorption.

"The next step will be providing protection for migrant workers, for those who have returned to the country and those who are still abroad," Wishnutama said.

The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry previously recorded that the number of laborers that were sent home reached more than 1 million people. Meanwhile, the number of affected informal workers is recorded at 314,833 people and the number of severed workers reached 375,000 people. Based on those numbers, the total number of workers who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic reached up to 1.7 million people.

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA