Implementation of Memorandum from the Executive Secretary Circa March 2020

March 25, 2020

DICT DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR NO. 004-20

 

In the exigency of the service, and as directed by the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary, circa March 2020 re: Additional Guidelines for the Community Quarantine over the Entire Luzon and Management of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation, and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-MEID) Resolutions, circa March 2020, the following guidelines are hereby issued:

1. Scope and Coverage. — This Circular shall cover all enterprises and establishments in the Private Express and/or Messengerial Delivery Service (PEMEDES) sector operating in Luzon and other areas placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

2. Continued Operations of Delivery Services for Food, Water, Medicine, or Other Basic Necessities. — In compliance with the directives of the Office of the President and the IATF-MEID for the continued operations of delivery services, whether in-house or outsourced, transporting only food, water, medicine, or other basic necessities, ALL PEMEDES enterprises or establishments are PERMITTED to continue operations to ensure the delivery of food, water, medicine, or other basic goods and necessities during the declared state of public health emergency, subject to strict compliance with the provisions of this Circular.

3. Movement of PEMEDES Personnel. — Personnel/workers of PEMEDES operators comprising the skeleton workforce or delivery service shall be PERMITTED to pass through, enter and exit the control points, subject to the following protocols:

a. The delivery service vehicle, with or without load, shall be operated by at most three (3) personnel.

b. The duly-issued Company Identification Card (ID) shall be visibly worn at all times, and presented at the control points. To further facilitate control point passage, the official IATF Accreditation ID shall be presented beginning 26 March 2020, unless extended.

4. Skeleton Workforce and Delivery Messengers/Personnels. — Private Express and/or Messengerial Delivery Services shall continue operations through skeleton workforce arrangements in its branches/offices, and delivery messengers/personnel on the field. The following persons shall neither be designated as part of the skeleton workforce nor as delivery messenger/personnel:

i. Those who are persons under investigation (PUI), persons under monitoring (FUM), or Confirmed, for COVID-19 infection.

ii. Those who have symptoms of COVID-19 infection, or other illness.

iii. Those who have a high risk of being infected, such as but not limited to persons who are:

1. Sickly, or have pre-existing medical conditions.

2. Immuno-compromised, or with co-morbidities.

3. Elderly, or sixty (60) years old and above.

4. Pregnant or lactating.

5. Proper Hygiene; Clean Working Environment; Due Care in the Handling of Deliveries. — All PEMEDES enterprises or establishments and their concerned personnel/workers shall (a) comply with strict social distancing measures; (b) practice proper hygiene and maintain a clean, healthy, and safe working environment; and (c) exercise due care in promptly, safely, and securely transporting and delivering food, water, medicine, or other basic necessities/goods.

6. Compliance with Other Issuances. — This Circular complements Memorandum Circular Nos. 20-06, and 20-08, series of 2020, as well as other applicable issuances of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), compliance with which is strictly enjoined. The PEMEDES sector shall likewise comply with the directives of the Office of the President, the IATF-MEID, the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), as properly implemented by the local government units, law enforcement, and military units having jurisdiction over the areas placed under ECQ.

This Circular shall take effect immediately, and shall remain in full force for the duration of the declared state of public health emergency, and until further orders.

For strict and immediate compliance.

(SGD.) GREGORIO B. HONASAN IISecretary