DILG to hire 50,000 contact tracers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government is set to start on Monday hiring and training at least 50,000 contact tracers following the signing into law of the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” otherwise known as Bayanihan 2.

READ: Duterte signs Bayanihan 2 into law

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Sunday said the additional 50,000 contact tracers are the “game-changers” in the country’s response against COVID-19 as this will allow us to cut the transmission of the disease and ultimately defeat COVID-19.”

“The DILG is looking for dedicated and patriotic individuals who want to join the fight against COVID-19. If you want to take an active part in defeating the pandemic, join the DILG Contact Tracing Teams,” he said.

Currently, there are 97,400 contact tracers in the country and it will be ramped up to 150,000 once the 50,000 contact tracers are hired.

The 50,000 contact tracers will be assigned to different contact tracing teams of the local government units.

At present, contact tracing teams are composite units led by the Municipal/City Health Officers with members from the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTS), and volunteers from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

“With the additional 50,000 contact tracers, we will now be able to meet the Magalong formula of tracing 37 close contacts of 1 COVID patient up to the 3rd degree,” Año said.

The contact tracers will earn a minimum of P18,784 per month in a contract of service status.

Among their responsibilities are:

• to conduct interviews, profiling, and perform an initial public health risk assessment of COVID-19 cases and their identified close contacts;
• refer the close contacts to isolation facilities;
• conduct enhanced contact tracing in collaboration with other agencies and private sectors;
• conduct daily monitoring of close and general contacts for at least 14 days and perform such other tasks in relation to the COVID response.

Año said Metro Manila will get 19.2% of the total number of the new contact tracers to be hired for the simple reason that it remains as one of the hot spots of COVID-19.

“Mas maraming naitatalang kaso, doon maglalagay ng mas maraming bagong contact tracer. A huge number of these new contact tracers will operate and work in all the regions of the country with NCR having the biggest number,” he added.

To qualify as a contact tracer, the applicant must have a bachelor’s degree or college level in an allied medical course or criminology course, Año said.

Aspirants must also be skilled in data gathering and have assisted in research and documentation; able to interview COVID-19 cases and close contacts in order to gather data; possess the ability to advocate public health education messages, and have the investigative capability.

“It is crucial that a candidate must be willing to do research and investigation because that is the very essence of the job. Iyon ang hinahanap natin, isang tao na magsasaliksik ng mga posibleng kaso ng COVID sa komunidad,” he said.

Applicants are required to submit a letter of intent, Personal Data Sheet, National Bureau of Investigation Clearance, and drug test results.

Applicants should submit their application and documents to all DILG Provincial and City Field Offices nationwide or visit their websites for the posting of vacancies. He said that contractual personnel whose employment were not renewed, Overseas Filipino Workers whose employment were disrupted, and local employees whose service have been recently terminated may be given priority in the hiring process if qualified.

JE