The local government of Muntinlupa is reducing the composition of its skeletal workforce including its operating hours following a surge of COVID-19 positive cases among staff.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi signed Executive Order 13 s. 2021 ordering the reduction of manpower reporting in the City Hall premises and the local government’s operating hours after recording a high attack rate of up to 211 cases per 1000 population among employees from March 27 to April 2.
Fresnedi said the reduction in the workforce covers offices in the Main Building, Annex Building, and People’s Center starting April 5, 2021 to give way to intensive disinfection, testing, and quarantine measures.
On April 5, the City Health Office conducted a mass antigen testing of staff who reported physically for work. The CHO is set to closely monitor all positive and probable COVID-19 cases among the workforce and implement strict isolation protocols, including contact tracing.
He added that the office hours shall be limited from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Daily disinfection of offices and other facilities within the compound shall take place starting at 3:00 PM.
“We ensure our constituents that the local government is enforcing preventive measures to manage and prevent risks against COVID-19 to ensure the safety of our employees and the public who will transact in the City Hall. While we are running business-as-usual, we enjoin the \ public to take advantage of online platforms in transacting with the local government,” Fresnedi noted.
A satellite work station shall be installed in the City Hall Quadrangle which aims to reduce the impact of COVID-19 transmission in outdoor environments.
Under the local EO, departments and offices are instructed to conduct virtual meetings and avoid person-to-person meetings, especially when it involves more than three individuals. Employees rendering service on a work-from-home set-up that are caught engaged in unofficial acts during work hours shall receive sanctions and other relevant penalties.
As of April 4, Muntinlupa City has 7,820 confirmed cases with 6,378 recoveries, 1233 active cases, 209 reported deaths, 206 suspect cases, and 814 probable cases.
Recently, Ospital ng Muntinlupa announced a 136% bed capacity utilization on COVID-19 related cases as of April 4.
Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said barangays were ordered to reactivate local isolation centers to accommodate asymptomatic cases and residents with mild symptoms to decongest primary health care and quarantine facilities.
Further, Muntinlupa City has started vaccinating members of A3 and A4 priority groups which include persons with comorbidities and frontline personnel in essential sectors, including uniformed personnel starting April 5 in 12 initial vaccination centers.