At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University drafted the COVID-19 Incident Preparedness, Response, Mitigation, and Management Plan. This management plan identified scenarios and assumptions including the corresponding responses that should be taken by the administration.
Scenarios 2 and 3 are happening at present. Scenario 2 is when infection is detected within the UPV Community and Scenario 3 is when there are selective community lockdowns and closures affecting UPV employees and constituents.
The following actions have been taken by the university as IMMEDIATE GENERAL RESPONSE in these scenarios.
1. All employees are under mandatory Work From Home Arrangement (WFH) 60% of the time or equivalent to 3 days per workweek. This arrangement is especially recommended for personnel with comorbidities and vulnerabilities as defined in the DOH protocols (60 years old and above and with children 21 years old and below living with them).
2. Early departure for employees has been implemented in all offices.
3. Declaration of a mandatory “UPV Sanitation Day” every first working day of the week
The following are specific protocols for Scenarios 2 and 3:
SPECIFIC PROTOCOLS for SCENARIO 2 – When infection is within the UPV Community
1. A referral system has been put in place. The employee is referred to the HSU for instructions on what to do. The HSU issues DOH-approved standard procedures for the suspected employee who is then referred to the DOH accredited quarantine facility
2. Suspension of Office Work. The transactions in office where the employee is stationed are automatically suspended.
3. Automatic Work From Home (WFH) Arrangement. All employees stationed in the suspended office will be put under home quarantine and will be on a full WFH arrangement for the entire duration of the quarantine period. This office suspension and work arrangement shall be monitored by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Administration.
4. Return To Work. Upon returning to work the employees will have to report to the HSU for examination by the HSU medical team and to be medically certified by HSU as COVID free.
5. Contact Tracing Team. A contact tracing team has been constituted under the supervision of the HSU. Their job is to track down the contacts of those personnel who are suspected of having locally transmitted COVID infection and to keep a database of these to be used by HSU for medical advice.
SPECIFIC PROTOCOLS for SCENARIO 3 – When there are selective community lockdowns and closures
1. As a rule, when the local government unit (LGU) declares a lockdown of a specified local area (barangay or sitio), the university should take cognizance of the supremacy of this order over the university work arrangements.
2. All employees residing in the restricted areas and who are restrained to go out of their homes or are not allowed to go out of their locality should automatically be put on a work from home (WFH) arrangement until the lockdown is lifted.
3. The Heads of Units in offices whose employees are locked down should report to HRDO or OVCA the names of the locked-down employees with a certification from the Barangay indicating the lockdown due to COVID.
4. Return to Work. Upon returning to work the employees will have to report to the HSU for examination by the HSU medical team and have to be medically certified by HSU as COVID free.
IMPORTANT: The UP System Administration is now processing the possible amendment of the eHOPE coverage to include reimbursement of expenses due to COVID including the cost of testing. We are still waiting for this amendment.
The University will also be exploring the possibility of reduced rates for the COVID testing at Western Visayas Medical Center of UPV employees who need it as one of the PCR machines used there was loaned from the PGC Visayas. This will, however, follow DOH guidelines.
For your information and guidance.
RICARDO P. BABARAN
Chancellor
