Guidelines on the Resumption of Work under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) Periods

June 2, 2020

PPA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 22-20

 

1. LEGAL BASES

1.1 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-MEID) Resolution No. 41 s. 2020 dated May 29, 2020

1.2 PPA Memorandum Circular No. 18 s. 2020 dated April 25, 2020

2. OBJECTIVES

2.1 To prescribe the guidelines for the prevention, control, mitigation and spread of COVID-19 in preparation for the resumption of work under the GCQ and MGCQ periods.

2.2 To ensure operational continuity and efficiency on various port services offered.

3. COVERAGE

This Order shall apply to all PPA employees, outsourced personnel, service providers, port users, stakeholders and the general public.

4. EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATION — In order to categorize and provide the appropriate work arrangement/scheme for all PPA personnel, employees shall be categorized as follows:

a) Category 1 (C1) — Responsibility Centers with personnel who may avail the work-from-home scheme are:

 

OGM OAGMFA OAGME OAGMO LSD

IAD PMSODD CSD OCBS CCS

CPD PPATI PPDD PCMD DSD

 

b) Category 2 (C2): Responsibility Centers with personnel who are physically reporting in the office or part of the skeletal workforce on a regular/scheduled basis and may also avail the WFH scheme are:

 

ASD HRMD Controllership Dept. Treasury Dept. ISAS ICTD POSD

 

c) Category 3 (C3): Responsibility Centers with personnel who needs to be physically reporting in the office on a daily basis are:

 

PPD Port Police Divisions in the PMOs Treasury Department (assigned to Cashier) Controllership Department (Fiscalizers)

 

d) Category 4 (C4): Port Management Offices will maintain rotating skeletal workforces in order to ensure continued port services.

5. SKELETAL WORKFORCE ASSIGNMENT — personnel to be assigned in the skeletal workforce or those who will be physically reporting to the office shall be guided by the following:

5.1 All RC Heads, Division Managers, including those who are in Acting/OIC capacity, shall be part of the skeletal workforce, unless an approval of exemption from management is secured.

5.2 The number of skeletal workforce will be determined by the working space/floor area of an office, consistent with the standards of physical distancing or having at least a minimum of one (1) meter distance across all sides of each workstation.

5.3 Personnel, except item 5.1, should not be below 21 or 60 years old and above.

5.4 Personnel, except item 5.1, should have no medically certified comorbidities, no pre-existing condition, immunodeficiency disorders and other health risks/complications.

5.5 Personnel classified as PWDs and pregnant women or nursing mothers, except item 5.1, will be given consideration for exemption in the skeletal workforce.

5.6 Personnel, except item 5.1, with no means of personal transportation unless provided with assistance for shuttle service.

6. RETURNING PERSONNEL PROTOCOLS

6.1 Following DOH Department Memorandum No. 2020-0220 or the Interim Guidelines on the Return-to-Work, returning employees and workers physically reporting to the office shall be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and/or relevant history of travel or exposure within the last 14 days.

6.1.1 The following exposures should have happened 2 days before or within 14 days from the onset of symptoms of a confirmed or probable case:

6.2.1 Face-to-face contact with a confirmed case within 1 meter and for more than 15 minutes

6.2.2 Direct physical contact with a confirmed case

6.2.3 Direct care for a patient with probable or confirmed COVID-19 disease without using proper personal protective equipment (PPE)

6.1.2 Personnel who are symptomatic with relevant history of travel/exposure shall not be allowed to work in or report to the office and must consult with their primary care provider.

6.1.3 Personnel who were symptomatic with relevant history of travel/exposure within the last 14 days prior to physically reporting to the office shall present a Certificate of Quarantine Completion duly issued by the step-down care facility or local health office, whichever is applicable, based on the latest DOH guidelines on reintegration of suspect, probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases.

6.1.4 If asymptomatic within the last 14 days, personnel may be cleared to physically work in or report to the office.

6.2 All personnel are directed to send a text/message/email to their immediate supervisors their sworn health declaration for not exhibiting any of the following COVID-19 symptoms (cough, colds, sore throat, fever, headache, difficulty in breathing, muscle and joint pains, body malaise, tiredness, diarrhea, loss of taste and smell, rashes on skin, etc.) before reporting to the office. Any employee who exhibits one or more of the mentioned symptoms are advised to not come to work and self-monitor in their respective homes.

6.3 No unauthorized personnel will be permitted entry to any PPA facility or building. Unauthorized personnel are those not included in the official skeletal workforce schedule and those with no prior coordination with their supervisors, ASD and HRMD.

7. PPA ENTRY AND ACCESS PROTOCOLS

7.1 All non-PPA personnel shall submit a sworn health declaration using the PPA Entry Protocol Form to the PPA personnel he/she will be transacting with and provide copies of such to the guard on duty and Administrative Services Department.

7.2 Any supplies, equipment, vehicles entering the office premises shall undergo a disinfection process.

7.3 Mandatory use of foot baths to all PPA and non-PPA personnel.

7.4 The "no mask, no entry" policy shall be enforced. Mandatory wearing of masks or any other appropriate and adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face shields, protective goggles, etc. by all PPA personnel while inside the PPA premises/offices shall be maintained.

7.5 Continued thermal scanning/contactless temperature checking will be done upon entry. Those with temperature of 37.5 degrees centigrade and above may not be permitted entry. The guard on duty will refer the concern to the medical team in the Clinic (for Head Office) and will be the one to approach the concerned personnel for further assessment, while the concerned personnel in the PMOs will be referred to a health facility.

7.6 Mandatory hand sanitation upon entry.

7.7 All personal deliveries, parcels, packages are encouraged to be redirected instead to the recipient's residential addresses. Personal visitors are also discouraged to enter PPA facilities until further notice.

8. SKELETAL WORKFORCE/PHYSICAL REPORTING PROTOCOLS

8.1 Mandatory wearing of masks while on duty.

8.2 Physical distancing of at least one (1) meter space requirement across all sides including movements within the work place and common areas shall be observed at all times.

8.3 Frequent handwashing and sanitizing shall be maintained including personal workstations.

8.4 Continued practice of proper cough and sneeze etiquette shall be observed at all times.

8.5 Maintained use of information and communications technology (ICT), such as electronic and paperless transactions and other resources is highly encouraged to avoid and limit face-to-face interactions or encounters.

8.6 Frequent handwashing and sanitizing especially after touching high touch surfaces (door handles, biometrics, workstations, photocopiers, printers, telephone, electric switches, water dispenser, etc.) or common areas (pantry, conference/meeting rooms, etc.) shall be observed at all times.

8.7 Provision of hand sanitizers/alcohol, face masks, vitamins/supplements and shuttle service especially to those with no personal transportation and with limited transport options for the skeletal workforce shall be maintained.

8.8 Provision of sleeping quarters shall be made available for use of the skeletal workforce.

8.9 Encouraged use of the stairs instead of the elevator.

8.10 All personnel are advised to bring their own packed meals and take their meals in their respective workstations to avoid close contact with others.

8.11 Internal meeting and conferences shall be undertaken electronically through video conferencing or teleconferencing. Meetings which calls for physical presence must be kept to a minimum number of attendees and as much as possible with short duration, consistent with the mandatory wearing of face masks and physical distancing standards at all times.

8.12 For the whole duration of the community quarantine, all C2 and C3 employees must have permanent workstations following the physical distancing standards or minimum of one (1) meter distance across all sides.

9. WORK-FROM-HOME (WFH) ARRANGEMENT

9.1 C1 and C2 personnel rendering WFH duty are expected to be active, available and participative in their RC's respective online platforms (Microsoft Teams, Facebook Messenger, Viber, Flock, etc.) especially between 9am to 4pm.

9.2 All RC Heads shall continue to monitor their staff and provide clear deliverables (e.g., output, timeline, etc.) to effectively manage their staff's performance.

9.3 All RC Heads shall ensure continued submission of their personnel's Individual Weekly Accomplishment Report and RC's Consolidated Monthly Accomplishment Report to the HRMD.

10. HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN OFFICE FACILITIES AND BUILDINGS

10.1 All PPA facilities, particularly areas for frontline services, such as Passenger Terminal Buildings (PTBs), Port Integrated Clearing Offices (PICOs), other areas being operated by port terminal operators, cargo handling operators, or service providers and third party visitors or port clients, shall be reconfigured to adhere to standards on physical distancing, such as glass/fiberglass/plastic barriers, floor markers, air purifiers and other safety and precautionary measures.

10.2 The PPDD shall be tasked to provide standards on item 10.1 including employee's workstations to be implemented by all RCs nationwide.

10.3 All areas mentioned in 10.1, common areas (pantry, reception area, hallways, comfort rooms, conference/board/meeting rooms) and high touch surfaces (door handles, biometrics, water dispenser, electric switches, elevator buttons, photocopiers, printers, telephone, etc.) shall be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

10.4 Alcohol/hand sanitizers should be installed as much as possible in all strategic areas (common areas/high touch surfaces) including areas with high foot traffic. Provision of liquid soap shall also be made available in the toilets.

10.5 TV monitors in PPA facilities shall continue to play materials from DOH, WHO, and other relevant advisories from various agencies pertaining to COVID-19, putting emphasis on reducing the spread and transmission of the virus as well as the continued support to DOH/WHO campaigns. Printed materials may be utilized as well for said campaigns and shall be posted on key areas in all PPA facilities.

10.6 All PPA facilities with elevators shall only allow a maximum of 2 individuals at a time to ensure physical distancing. The ASD/Admin Division is tasked to install floor markings as well on the elevators.

11. OTHER HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES

11.1 Everyone is encouraged to adopt to a healthy lifestyle by eating balanced and nutritious meals, taking of vitamins/supplements, regular exercise, having a positive mindset etc. to increase physical and mental resilience.

11.2 Official travel of employees shall be temporarily suspended unless a travel order is secured and approved by the General Manager.

11.3 There shall be no face-to-face interviews of applicants in hiring. Teleconferencing and other ICT modes, such as Zoom or Skype, shall instead be utilized.

11.4 There shall be no pen and paper exams for external and internal applicants. PMOs are advised to coordinate with the HRMD Recruitment Section for Online Examination request.

11.5 The flag ceremony and flag retreat shall be broadcasted, if possible, with the employees remaining in their respective work stations.

11.6 Trainings, meetings with external clients, activities, gatherings and all events may be conducted through the use of various virtual platforms.

11.7 The COVID-19 Response Emergency CORE Team shall continue to review and recommend additional measures and guidelines for adoption and subsequent revisions.

For strict compliance.

Recommending Approval:

COVID-19 RESPONSE EMERGENCY (CORE) TEAM

By:

(SGD.) ATTY. ELMER NONNATUS A. CADANOChairman and AGM for Finance and Administration, Special Concerns

Approved by:

(SGD.) JAY DANIEL R. SANTIAGOGeneral Manager