Vice presidential candidate Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said that he and his presidential bet Vice President Leni Robredo would consult first those who would be affected by the government's return-to-office policy before its implementation.

In a statement on Saturday, April 2, Pangilinan called this decision "insensitive" and a "bad joke" for thousands of employees forced to return to their offices on Friday.

"Parang bad joke itong nangyari sa ibang empleyado, gaya ng BPO workers. Marami sa kanila ang nagtatanong pa rin kung bakit pinipilit ang pagbabalik sa opisina habang maayos at mas produktibo pa silang nakakapagtrabaho sa bahay (It sounds like a bad joke to other employees, such as BPO workers. Many of them are asking why they are being forced to return to office when they are able to work at home properly and more productively)," Pangilinan said.

"Sasabak na naman sa trapik, magbabayad ng mahal na gasolina, gagastos ng mahal sa bawat paglabas ng bahay. Bakit hindi sila kinokonsulta (Many will be stuck in traffic again, will pay for expensive fuel, will spend a lot of money every time they leave the house. Why are they not consulted?)" he said.

Pangilinan said the welfare of employees should be the utmost consideration being the "most valuable resources" of any business or organization.

"Ang tandem ng Leni-Kiko ay magkokonsulta, papahalagahan ang boses ng empleyado sa return to office issue para ang anumang polisiya ay siguradong makakabuti sa kanilang kapakanan (The Leni-Kiko tandem will consult and value the stand of the employees on any policy that will definitely benefit their well-being)," he said.

Pangilinan added that the government is "insensitive" in implementing the back-to-office scheme amid health uncertainties and high costs of fuel and basic goods.

"Napakamanhid na utusan na lang basta ang mga empleyado na lumabas ng bahay, magdusa sa trapik at gumastos para mabuhay ang ekonomiya (It is very insensitive to just order employees to get out of the house, suffer in traffic, and spend to survive the economy)," Pangilinan said.

"Sobra-sobra na ang sakripisyo ng ating mga kababayan sa pandemyang ito. Gobyerno dapat ang tutulong sa tao, pero ito pa ang nagpapahirap (Filipinos have been sacrificing a lot this pandemic. The government should help the people, not burden them)," he added.

Pangilinan said he hopes the government will hear out the side of workers, not only the management, in firming up its order to return to their offices.

"There may be a set-up that will be both beneficial to both employee and employers and to economic recovery, and it doesn't always happen inside the office," he noted.