Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11) – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Philippine National Police will send contact tracers to the National Capital Region as it intensifies the implementation of minimum health protocols amid rising COVID-19 cases.
MMDA chairperson Benhur Abalos said his office and the PNP will deploy 300 and 360 contact tracers, respectively, across Metro Manila.
“Ang MMDA po mismo ay magpapadala ng 300 contact tracers, bukod sa mga contact tracers na meron ang LGUs,” Abalos said in a briefing on Thursday.
[Translation: The MMDA will send 300 contact tracers. This is apart from the contact tracers that LGUs already have.]
“Magpapadala po sila, ang kapulisan po natin, ng 360 contact tracers sa kalakhang Maynila,” he added. “Itong mga pulis na po ito, ay sila po yata ay mga desk officers. Sila po ay malaking tulong po sa contact tracing.”
[Translation: The police will send 360 contact tracers to Metro Manila. I think they are desk officers. They would be of great help in contact tracing.]
Although LGUs can afford to hire their own contact tracers, Abalos said it would be better if the Department of the Interior and Local Government can provide an additional number.
“I would like to reiterate that all of the mayors of Metro Manila, they have their own contact tracers and they can afford to have one,” he said. “Pero ngayon po kailangan natin ng experienced contact tracers. Kumakatok kami sa DILG, because they have experienced contact tracers (But what we need now are experienced contact tracers. We are asking the DILG, because they have experienced contact tracers).”
The DILG earlier said it is seeking help from Congress to ensure the country can sustain 15,000 contact tracers until the end of the year.
DILG Usec. Jonathan Malaya said their funds to hire contact tracers, coming from the Bayanihan To Heal as One Act and their 2021 national budget, were depleted in January when they hired 15,000 personnel for a six-month contract.
Citing the World Health Organization, the national government said the standard for contact tracing must be one contact tracer per 800 people.
