AROUND 600 contact tracers will augment the existing contact tracing teams in Cebu City beginning October 1, 2020.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Cebu City has also extended the hiring and selection of contact tracers until September 25.
At present, the contact tracing teams in the city are composed of Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines members, including personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection, City Health Department personnel, and a job-order employee hired by Cebu City Government.
Lawyer Ian Kenneth Lucero, DILG Cebu City officer-in-charge, said in a statement Wednesday, September 23, that the employment of additional contact tracers will help the city's contact tracing efforts that is deemed important and effective in curbing the further spread of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
He said this will also ensure accurate and timely conduct of contact tracing activities and reporting of Covid-19 surveillance data.
The DILG said the general scope of work of contact tracers include conducting case interviews, profiling, and performing initial public health risk assignment of Covid-19 cases and their identified close contacts.
The applicant must have at least a bachelor's degree relevant to the job, preferably allied Medical Course or Criminology.
The applicant must also be 21 to 45 years old and is physically and mentally fit to do the duties and responsibilities of a contact tracer, certified by a government physician.
Training or eligibility is not required.
Moreover, preferred experience may include: must be skilled in data gathering and/or assisted research and documentation; must be able to interview Covid-19 positive patients and their close contacts to gather data on their travel history and conduct health assessments; must also possess the ability to advocate public health education messages; and must have investigative capability.
Applicants are required to submit a letter of intent, personal data sheet, National Bureau of Investigation clearance, and drug test result.
In addition to these basic requirements, a Diploma and Transcript of Records (TOR) will be submitted by the applicant. A certification from the university/school that he or she is a graduate of relevant course such as criminology or an allied medical course or an undergraduate, must be submitted in lieu of the Diploma and TOR.
For those interested to apply, Lucero said they may submit their complete requirements to cebucitycontacttracing@gmail.com or via walk-in at the DILG-Central Visayas office in Sudlon, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.
The contact tracers will serve from October to December 2020 under a Contract of Service and will get a salary grade 9 or equivalent to P18,784.
DILG, under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 Law, is authorized to hire at least 50,000 contact tracers. In Central Visayas alone, DILG has been accepting for at least 4,000 contact tracers since last week.
For further inquiries, one may coordinate with focal persons Emmanual Pedralba at 0927-202-5623 or Cresencio Aseniero at 0929-509-5148. (WBS/With PR)