City of San Fernando Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago has ordered today, March 22, the arrangement of “Work from Home” scheme for employees vulnerable to coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Although the city has already adopted a skeletal workforce and a four-day work schedule since March 16, the order aims to reiterate the need to protect the vulnerable employees from being infected with the virus.
Starting on Monday, March 23, Senior citizens and employees with critical illnesses, including; diabetes, stroke/heart attack of specified severity, cancer, kidney failure/Chronic kidney disease, asthma or other related respiratory illness will be working in their homes.
Concerned department heads and Division Chiefs, however, shall still be on call as their role and service are highly needed by the local government to combat COVID-19.
In an interview, Santiago has expressed its strong desire to protect the senior citizens especially those with pre-existing diseases.
“We want to protect and save our elderly from being infected with this COVID-19. That is why, I am ordering our HR to make the ‘Work From Home’ arrangement for our senior citizen public servants who are still rendering their valuable service together with us,” the mayor said.
Dr. Sonny Branzuela, Health and Emergency Management Staff (HEMS) Medical Head and the on-going Incident Commander has further advised the elderly to observe proper infection control measures while staying in their homes.
The city thru the able leadership of Santiago has already distributed relief goods, medical supplies, and cash assistance to the identified senior citizens and Persons With Disability (PWD) of the 35 barangays.
It is also conducting continuous door to door distribution of cash assistance and relief operations to Fernandinos, giving due priority to urban poor families.
The city’s Operational Coordination Committee has been also regularly giving aide to the families of Persons Under Monitoring (PUM) and Persons Under Investigation (PUI) by providing them goods and non-goods packs, and a psychosocial therapy.
As of March 21, San Fernando has two (2) COVID-19 confirmed cases, one (1) death, 11 Persons Under Investigation (PUI), 336 Persons Under Monitoring (PUM), 76 PUMs who have completed 14-day home quarantine, and four (4) discharged PUIs.