Kalinga PLGU under alternative work arrangement following surge of Covid-19 cases

Tabuk City, Kalinga – With the alarming surge of COVID-19 cases and the presence of Delta variant in the province, Governor Ferdinand B. Tubban has issued Executive Order No. 2021-33, establishing guidelines on the implementation of alternative work arrangements of the different departments and offices of Kalinga local government unit effective September 13, 2021, until further notice.

The guidelines cover all the regular employees, contract of service (COS), and job order (JO) personnel working under Kalinga LGU.

Skeleton Workforce

The guidelines state that there will be a shifting of schedule, whereby 50% of the total workforce, including all the regular employees, COS, and JOs, shall report every day in one week, then they will work from home the following week.

The other 50% shall report in the same work arrangement the following week. The same work arrangement shall be followed every week thereafter.

This will help prevent the spread of infection and the temporary stoppage of office operations in case one staff was detected to be positive of the virus, considering situations that an entire office at some point has to go on quarantine once a staff got infected.

Health, Disaster, and Response Offices

Shifting schedules will also be crafted by the Chief of Hospitals or Heads shall be followed by the departments or offices providing health services, preparedness and response to imminent disasters and calamities, and performance of other vital services.

These departments and offices include Provincial Health Office, Office of the Health Services-Kalinga Provincial Hospital, OHS-Juan M. Duyan District Hospital, OHS-Pinukpuk District Hospital, OHS-Tanudan Municipal Hospital, OHS-Mejia Kim Medical Center, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, PGO-Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office, and OPAD-Civil Security Service.

Work from Home

All departments and offices are required to submit their work schedule, to include a list of tasks and duties that will be done on Work from Home to the Provincial Human Resource Management Office on or before 12:00 noon of September 10, 2021.

Employees below 21 years old, above 60 years old, and those who are with pre-existing illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, or with immunocompromised health status, comorbidities, and with high-risk pregnancy are included in the skeleton workforce arrangement from Mondays to Thursdays.

Said employees, however, shall be deemed to be under work-from-home arrangement during Fridays.

Wear face masks and face shields

Section 5 of the executive order also states that all employees who are using the Provincial Bus and other public transport as a mode of transportation in reporting to their respective offices in Kalinga PLGU are required to wear face masks and face shields as protective measures to avoid the spread of the dreaded disease.

“All previous Executive Orders, Office orders, and other issuances which are inconsistent with the provision of this order are hereby modified and repealed accordingly,” the order states.

COVID-19 Cases

The province recorded 122 new COVID-19 positive cases this September 9, 2021, bringing total cumulative cases to 6,305 since June 2020 with 5,409 recoveries, and 109 co-morbid deaths.

Of the new positive cases, 61 are in Tabuk City, 4 in Balbalan, 17 in Pinukpuk, 2 in Pasil, 5 in Lubuagan, 32 in Rizal, and 1 in Tanudan.

The data of PHO also shows that most hospitals already reached their maximum capacities with their total bed occupancy rate standing at 95.04%.

Governor Tubban reiterated his call for the public to practice the minimum public health standards such as wearing of face mask, frequent hand sanitation, and physical distancing.

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