(Eagle News) — The Department of the Interior and Local Government will rehire some 15,000 contact tracers to sustain the country’s contact tracing efforts.
In a statement on Saturday, January 16, the DILG said the rehires will work for at least six months.
“While the country’s COVID-19 response is significantly improving, we should sustain our contact tracing efforts especially with the reported entry of the new UK coronavirus variant into the country,” the statement said.
The DILG said the Department of Budget and Management has approved P1.9 billion allocation for contact tracers in 2021.
“Much as we would like to continue the services of all the 50,000 CTs hired in 2020, we need to have a more rational number of CTs and work within the available budget allotted to the Department. Hence, only 15,000 CTs will be re-hired under a six-month contract in the meantime while we wait for the release of additional funds,” DILG Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said.
He said the DILG field offices and the LGUs are “directed to conduct an immediate assessment of the performance of the contact tracers and proceed with the selection of those who have effectively and efficiently performed their assigned tasks.”
DILG Officer-in-Charge Bernardo Florece, Jr. has also directed the Regional Offices to prioritize the rehiring of contact tracers in the LGUs that have active cases and have a rising number of new infections.
