The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) today said that as of yesterday, the first batch of 10,136 Contact Tracers (CTs) have been hired nationwide from the more than 55,000 aspirants who have applied for the post.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that as soon as the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 Law was signed, the hiring process for 50,000 CTs began and is now in full swing with more than 47,000 applications which have now been processed by the DILG field offices all over the country.
“The hiring of CTs is being expedited as time is of the essence in our fight against COVID-19. Ngayon, higit sa 10k na ang ating na-hire and we intend to hit our commitment to employ the 50k CTS prescribed in the Bayanihan 2 Law before the end of this month,” Año said.
“Hindi tumitigil ang mga tanggapan ng DILG sa mga highly urbanized cities at probinsya sa pag-proseso at pagtanggap ng mga aplikante,” he added.
Año shared that there is great interest from prospective applicants nationwide as more than 55,000 applicants submitted the requirements. Of this number, he said, 47,000 are currently being processed by the DILG “and we are expecting to receive more applications in the coming days.”
The DILG recently announced that it will not set any deadline for the hiring of the 50k CTs nationwide but has resorted to continuous hiring to fill up and employ personnel for the remaining slots.
“What’s important to us is to fill up the slots and recruit the most number of CTs as provided in the Bayanihan 2 Law so those who met the deadline set earlier are now being processed but we will continue to accept applications until we have met our targets,” DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan E. Malaya said.
Meanwhile, Malaya explained that the first batch of 10k CTs currently hired have now started to undergo training prior to their deployment to the communities where they will be assigned. “Hindi naman po natin sila isasabak nang basta-basta ng walang training,” he pointed out.
He said that the DILG is looking for CTs aged 21-45 years old with a Bachelor’s degree or college level in an allied medical course or criminology course. If there are none available, any course will do. Applicants must submit their Diploma or Transcript of Records (TOR) to prove their educational attainment.
“We are looking for the most fit and qualified individuals for the job dahil very challenging ang kanilang magiging trabaho for the next 3 months. Their work on the ground is crucial in our battle against COVID-19,” Malaya says.
He clarified though that in case the TOR or Diploma is not available, a certification from the university will suffice. Also, while the National Bureau of Investigation clearance is under process, he said, the DILG will accept a police clearance in the meantime.
Aspirants must also be skilled in data gathering and have assisted in research and documentation; able to interview COVID-19 cases and close contacts in order to gather data; possess the ability to advocate public health education messages; and have investigative capability.
Applicants are also required to submit a letter of intent, Personal Data Sheet, National Bureau of Investigation Clearance, drug test results and other documents to all DILG Provincial and City Field Offices nationwide or visit their websites for the posting of vacancies.
Under the guidelines drafted by the DILG, CTs will earn a minimum of P18,784 per month in a contract of service status.