DILG eyes hiring of 20K contact tracers in next 10 days

Densing said a total of 85,000 contact tracers were deployed before the passage of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2). (Pixabay photo)

MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday said it aims to hire 20,000 contact tracers in less than two weeks to meet its target of 50,000 contact tracers to boost the country’s response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“As of today, mahigit 30,000 na po ang na-hire ng iba’t ibang regions ng (over 30,000 contact tracers were hired in the different regions by the) DILG. Hopefully, we can (get) another 20,000 in the next seven to 10 days,” said DILG Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco Densing III in a Laging Handa presser.

He added that the hired contact tracers are currently undergoing training.

Densing said a total of 85,000 contact tracers were deployed before the passage of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2).

As soon as the Bayanihan 2 law was signed, the DILG was given the authority to hire 50,000 additional contact tracers.

Under the guidelines drafted by the DILG, the contact tracers would be hired under a contract of service status and would get a salary of around PHP18,000-PHP19,000.

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-19 response.

To qualify, the applicant must have a Bachelor’s degree or college level in an allied medical course or criminology course. 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.

Applicants are required to submit an application letter, Personal Data Sheet, National Bureau of Investigation clearance, diploma or transcript of records, and drug test result to the nearest DILG provincial or city field office.