PRRD orders increased on-site gov’t workforce amid pandemic

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the increase of on-site government workers to ensure the continued delivery of public services in the country.

Memorandum Circular No. 93, signed by Duterte on Friday, mandates at least a 40 percent on-site workforce capacity in areas under Alert Level 4, 60 percent on-site workforce capacity in areas under Alert Level 3, and 80 percent on-site workforce capacity in areas under Alert Level 2.

Under Alert Level 5, a skeleton workforce under alternative work arrangements will be adopted as approved by the head of agency unless a greater on-site capacity is required in agencies providing health and emergency frontline services, laboratory and testing services, border control, or other critical services, in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations issued by the Civil Service Commission.

Government agencies and instrumentalities remain fully operational regardless of the alert level of the area where they are located.

Duterte signed the memo following reports that some government agencies and instrumentalities have “such a small proportion of their total workforce on-site that the delivery of public services suffers as a result.”

“There is a need to balance health considerations and the continuous delivery of public services, regardless of the alert level system prevailing in a particular area,” the memo read.

Under the memo, heads of all agencies and instrumentalities of the executive branch, including government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), may increase the on-site workforce of their offices beyond the minimum percent.

“Department secretaries may require heads of agencies over which they have control or supervision, or which are attached to their departments, to implement a larger on-site workforce should the one set by the agency head be insufficient for the delivery of services, as determined by the department secretary,” the memo read.

Agencies providing health and emergency frontline services, laboratory and testing services, border control, or other critical services, shall require an on-site workforce that is larger than the minimum, as may be necessary to deliver their mandates.

In all cases, the requirement on on-site workforce shall be subject to social distancing requirements and other minimum public health standards.

The offices of the legislative and judicial branches of government, independent constitutional commissions and bodies, and local government units are strongly urged to adopt the provisions of this circular.

The entire Philippines is currently under Alert Level 2 status.

Under Alert Level 2, activities are allowed at 50 percent indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and at 70 percent outdoor venue capacity.

Previously, government agencies and instrumentalities were required to adopt a 20 percent on-site workforce capacity in areas under Alert Level 4, 30 percent on-site workforce capacity in areas under Alert Level 3, and 50 percent on-site workforce capacity in areas under Alert Level 2.