DUE to the Covid-19 surge, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio ordered the implementation of a fully operational work-from-home (WFH) and skeletal workforce arrangement in all barangays, city, and national government offices from September 8 to 26 and encouraged the private sector to do the same.

Duterte-Carpio signed Executive Order (EO) 44 Series of 2021, otherwise known as “An Order Implementing A Fully Operational Work-From-Home And Skeleton Arrangement In All Barangay, City And National Government Offices Including Government-Owned And Controlled Corporations From September 8 to 26, 2021, Encouraging The Same For the Private Sector,” on September 6.

The mayor issued the EO as the city experiences a surge in Covid-19 cases, as the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) and other private hospitals are fully occupied with all kinds of patients, including Covid-19 cases.

“The Health Group of the Response Cluster of the Davao Covid-19 Task Force recommended to put essential workers on a work-from-home arrangement,” Duterte-Carpio said in her EO, adding that the recommendation was modified to be mandatory for government offices only so as not to disrupt businesses and private offices.

She said, however, that the WFH and skeletal workforce arrangement may be voluntarily adopted by private offices and establishments.

Exempted from the directive are personnel working in the vaccination program, Covid-19 response, solid waste management program, implementation projects, and emergency response.

EO 44 also provides that all disaster and social services personnel may also adopt a WFH arrangement, provided that they are on-call and on a shifting arrangement 24 hours a day.

The mayor also said that the implementation of EO 44 must not delay the delivery of government services.

“All offices must create a system wherein government service is accessible to all those in need despite the WFH and skeleton workforce arrangement,” she said.

The mayor also said offices should have online platforms where clients can access and direct their queries, with a real-time feedback response system.

The EO also mandates that all meetings involving government offices shall use online platforms and that all meetings of more than five attendees are prohibited.

EO 44 also reiterates EO 10 Series of 2021 for other alternative work arrangements.

As of September 6, Davao City has a total of 40,347 confirmed Covid-19 cases, wherein 6,881 are active cases, 32,214 had recovered, and 1,252 died.