DOLE to hire only 5,000 contact tracers for ‘NCR Plus’

MANILA, Philippines — Instead of hiring 12,000, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Friday said it will only get 5,000 contact tracers to be deployed in the so-called National Capital Region (NCR) Plus.

In a televised briefing, DOLE’s Bureau of Workers With Special Concerns Director Atty. Ma. Karina Perida-Trayvilla explained this is to allow the hired contact tracers to work for a longer duration.

“I-stretch na lang po namin sa 90 days kaya siguro roughly, mga 5,000 po ang ma-a-accommodate para magkaroon sila ng mahaba habang duration ng trabaho,” Trayvilla said.

(We will stretch the contract to 90 days so maybe roughly, we will accommodate 5,000 to allow them to work for a longer duration.)

DOLE initially announced it will hire 12,000 contact tracers within NCR Plus. Trayvilla said they were eyeing to add 2,000 more contact tracers to this number, but the local governments want them hired for 90 days instead of just 30 days.  https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1415041/dole-set-to-hire-12000-contact-tracers-in-ncr-plus-bubble

“Inaasahan po natin na maumpisahan yung contact tracers natin na paghahire po nito next week,” Trayvilla said.

(We are expecting to begin hiring contact tracers by next week.)

Trayvilla said qualifications for contact tracer applicants include having a high school diploma, and basic knowledge in using the telephone and internet.

Interested individuals may apply before the DOLE’s Public Employment Service offices.

The monthly salary for successful applicants would be based on the prevailing regional minimum wage, for instance, P16,110 or P537 per day for those in Metro Manila, according to DOLE.

KGA