COVID-19 RESPONSE | No more funds to extend contracts of contact tracers, says Bello

July 21, 2021 , 05:51 PM

By Aira Juarez

(July 21, 2021) – Amid the threat of the Delta variant and the continued high number of COVID-19 cases in the country, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) secretary Silvestre Bello III said they cannot extend further the contracts of contact tracers due to the lack of funds.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Bello admitted they can only employ the more than 5,700 contact tracers for two more months.

“‘Nung nalaman namin na kailangan pa raw i-extend ang services ng contact tracers, pinag-aralan namin ‘yung aming financial capacity,” said Bello. “This (two-month extension) will cost us P270 million. ‘Yun lang ang ating kaya.”

Bello added he has already informed Department of Health (DOH) secrertary Francisco Duque III and Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos about the issue.

Last May, 5,750 contact tracers were hired in Metro Manila for a three-month contract with DOLE under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program. They were reportedly paid a monthly salary of around P18,700.

With the deal ending this July, Bello expressed hope that they could extend it for at least another three months if the Bayanihan III will be enacted into law.

Around P9 billion were left unspent in the government’s budget for COVID-19 response after the Bayanihan II lapsed last June 30. The unused funds cannot be re-disbursed since it requires another piece of legislation.

Last April, the country’s outstanding debt ballooned to a whopping P11 trillion as the government continued to borrow money to supposedly finance the COVID-19 response. Still, President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly said the country has no money.

Bello said the TUPAD budget under Bayanihan III isn’t really meant for contact tracers, but there might be some wiggle room to continue the government’s contact tracing efforts.

“Hindi ‘yan para sa contact tracers. ‘Yan ay para sa informal workers covered under the TUPAD program pero we can realign it to accommodate the request of chairman Benhur to extend the services of contract tracers,” said Bello.

The government’s contact tracing plans have been repeatedly criticized. The DOH didn’t prioritize the hiring of additional contact tracers until the country experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases early this year. Even contact tracing czar Benjamin Magalong admitted it’s the “weakest link” in the government’s response to the health crisis.

On Tuesday, the OCTA Research Group said there has been an uptick in active COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila, as the reproduction number increased to 1.06, the first time since April, when the region was still under enhanced community quarantine.

(PM)

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