To prevent the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), implementing partners of subprojects under the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) were directed to observe strict health protocols and comply with the supplemental guidelines on the Community and Occupational Safety and Health (COSH).

Pursuant to the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of the Community Quarantine in the Philippines, the supplemental COSH was issued in addition to the existing COSH standards employed in the implementation of the PRDP adhering to the Safeguards Policies of the World Bank as well as the new policy issuances, protocols and standards of the Philippine Government in ensuring public safety and health amidst COVID-19.

It will serve as a guide in order to strengthen the protection of the rights of workers to a safe and healthy working environment, as well as the protection of the community especially the vulnerable population, ensuring non-discrimination and social inclusion during the COVID-19 pandemic. LGU partners, contractors and their workers, as well as enterprise proponent groups (PG) will be required to follow precautionary measures as the country continues to cope with the containment of the disease.

The said guidelines was already endorsed to partner LGUs, contractors, and enterprise PGs for their compliance last June. It shall facilitate the implementation of PRDP subprojects as the country transitions to the new normal amidst the health crisis.

Contractors in Kalinga compliant to COSH amidst COVID-19 health crisis

As General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) remain in effect, construction activities for ongoing I-BUILD subprojects gradually resumed as well as the enterprise operations of I-REAP subprojects.

In the province of Kalinga, the contractor of the ongoing road improvement subproject namely the Omengan Construction and Development Corporation (OCDC) has been compliant to the protocols and guidelines of the IATF-EID guidelines on subproject implementation since the duration of GCQ.

According to Engr. Orlando Panabang of LGU Kalinga, construction works for the improvement of Bado Dangwa-Guilayon FMR was suspended since the duration of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) until it was lifted to GCQ. However, the contractors and their workers were required to strictly comply with the construction and safety guidelines issued by the DPWH in accordance to the IATF protocols and guidelines.

“During the ECQ, workers from the LGU as well as from the contractors assigned in the subproject were allowed to work at home to facilitate project monitoring and accomplish administrative works,” he said.

Panabang further said that the contractors have been compliant to the construction and safety guidelines which includes daily monitoring of the health conditions of workers; provision of COVID-19 related Personnel Protective Equipment (e.g. face masks, hand soaps, and disinfectants) and disinfection facility at the project sites; reduce direct contact and adhere to physical distancing during construction; and regular cleaning and disinfection of premises and construction material among others.

Meanwhile, the Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) unit along with the other units/components of the PRDP continue to orient the implementing partners of the project and disseminate information on the implementation of the supplemental guidelines on COSH.

“As we continue to conduct monitoring and inspection of both I-REAP and I-BUILD subprojects, we also inform them and reiterate their compliance to the supplemental COSH guidelines for a safe and healthy working environment during this health crisis,” said Rigi May Copatan, SES Officer of PRDP Regional Project Coordination Office-CAR (RPCO-CAR).

Required forms with regard the compliance to the supplemental guidelines on COSH were also forwarded to the LGUs, contractors, and PGs. This includes DOLE employers’ work/accident illness report, I-REAP enterprise subproject employees and visitors checklist, I-BUILD daily COVID-19 surveillance fill-up checklist form, I-BUILD worker\s records log format, and PRDP consultation guidelines amidst COVID-19 public health crisis. ### ELVY S. TAQUIO (DA-PRDP) & SOL LAWAGAN (LGU Kalinga)

A portion of the ongoing improvement of BadoDangwa-Guilayon FMR subproject in Tabuk City, Kalinga (Photo by Engr. Domingo A. Bakilan)