By Alec Go
As government offices expand their on-site operations to 100% under Alert Level 1, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Tuesday, March 1, called on offices to ensure compliance with health protocols and Safety Seal standards.
In the Laging Handa briefing, CSC Commissioner Atty. Aileen Lizada said agencies and offices should register for Safety Seal certification for their facilities to be inspected.
“While we see under Alert Level 1 everything is okay outside, ang kailangan nating tanungin sa iba’t-ibang heads of offices, heads of agencies – okay na po ba ang inside ng ating opisina,” she said.
“It is to the head of agency to determine whether the office is safe and whether compliant tayo sa Occupation Safety and Health Standards at ang inyong opisina ba ay pumasa na sa Safety Seal,” she added.
Lizada also called on employees association and unions, together with offices’ human resources divisions, to ensure that their agencies are observing minimum public health standards such as proper ventilation and distancing.
The official said during the same briefing “other alternative work arrangements are still in place,” as they finalize “flexi workplace” which may be released in a few weeks. This is in a bid to institutionalize working arrangements covering the pandemic, calamities, and disasters.
Meanwhile, over 60% of 1.7 million employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and more than 30% are unvaccinated.
Lizada said the mandatory RT-CPR testing for workers may be shouldered by the office through their Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) “subject to auditing and budgeting rules and regulations.”
Based on the Office of the President’s Memorandum Circular No. 96, all government agencies and instrumentalities shall adhere to 100% on-site workforce.
Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said this is “to balance health considerations and the continuous delivery of public services, consistent with the updated Alert Level System.” – bny
