Help Wanted: Gov't to Hire 50,000 Contact Tracers Nationwide
As part of the government’s continuing efforts to defeat COVID-19, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is hiring 50,000 contact tracers around the country.
In an interview with TeleRadyo’s Kuwentuhang Lokal this afternoon, June 20, DILG Undersecretary for Peace and Order Bernardo Florece Jr. revealed that the ideal number is 81,000 for the country's population of 108 million Filipinos.
He said, “Unang-una si Secretary [Carlos] Dominguez ang nag-announce niyan, na for us to provide jobs and at the same time tumulong sa pagsugpo ng COVID-19 through contact tracing, now we are hiring 50,000.
“Fifty thousand lang muna, although we need around eighty-one thousand, kasi kung susundan natin yung 1:800, meaning 1 contact tracer to 800 population, mangangailangan tayo ng 135,000.
“So, meron na tayo ngayong fifty-four thousand, so, eighty-one thousand na lang, supposedly, ang kailangan natin.
“Pero tuluy-tuloy naman yung dagdag ng ating mga contact tracers.
“Merong mga volunteers from the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines], from PNP [Philippine National Police], and from the civilian sector.
“Dumadami na ngayon ang ating contact tracers, so instead of eighty-one thousand, fifty thousand lang ang prinoposed namin to be hired this year until next year, for 12 months.”
WHO CAN APPLY?
The government will start hiring Filipinos with medical-related courses in July.
Florece said, “May minimum qualification tayo. Unang-una, dapat college graduate, whether allied medical courses or other related course.
“For example, nursing, and then four-year course na midwifery and pharmacy, and other health courses: nutritionist, therapists, mga ganun.
“Parang dinagdagan natin ito ng ano, criminology.”
Interested applicants may submit their applications at DILG's regional offices throughout the country.
“So, fifty thousand, hinati hati natin ito: twenty thousand sa Luzon, fifteen thousand sa Visayas, and fifteen thousand sa Mindanao,” USec Florece added.
Salary is around PHP20,000 monthly plus other benefits.
Florece revealed, “Since we are getting college graduates, puwedeng salary grade (SG) level nila is SG-10, which is equivalent to Administrative Assistant III.
“Ang suweldo nila is PHP20,157.00.
“Basta around PHP20,000 plus may five percent pa siya based dun sa bagong ruling ng Civil Service, so more or less PHP21,000 a month.
"So, yun ang magiging suweldo nila.”
The government proposed a PHP17-billion budget for this initiative for one year.