1. It was stated in paragraph no. 4 of the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary on Community Quarantine Over the Entire Luzon and Further Guidelines for the Management of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation that:
“A work from home arrangement shall be implemented in the Executive branch, except the PNP, AFP, PCG and health and emergency frontline services, border control and other critical services, which shall ensure a skeletal work force.”
2. To ensure proper interpretation of the said provision, the Secretary of Education issued Office Memorandum
OO-OSEC-2020-001 on March 19, 2020 which identified the critical services and functions in the Department that will be impossible to do from a completely home-based work arrangement and will require physical presence outside the home including in office premises. These include, among others (Item No. 3, Office Memorandum OO-OSEC-2020-001):
a. staff assistance to enable decision making;
b. certain aspects of financial transactions such as payment of salaries, bank transactions, procurement;
c. security of premises;
d. internal COVID-19 monitoring and emergency response (Central Office)
3. The approval of deployment of personnel performing such critical services shall be conditioned on the following:
a. Clear showing of a critical service in the performance of the identified priority program or deliverable, and that its performance can only be done at the office premises or by going to the field; and
b. Clear and strict protocols on health precautions and social distancing measures not only at workplace, but also during travel/transportation, and at the home and private space and time, to ensure consistency of health precaution and social distancing at all times.
c. Prior orientation of the deployed personnel on the protocols and mechanism to monitor and ensure their observance at all times.
4. A certification/authorization for the approved officers and personnel for deployment in office or field work shall be issued and the same shall be non-transferable and shall bear features for validation and authenticity.
5. DepEd vehicles and driving services shall be provided for the transportation of the deployed personnel. Although the memorandum of the Secretary states that deployed personnel may elect to use their own vehicles, this Office prefers the use of official vehicles to prevent unnecessary inconvenience and delay in travel.
6. All previously issued Division Memoranda not contrary to the guidelines provided in Office Memorandum
OO-OSEC-2020-001 issued by the Secretary shall remain in full force and effect.
7. Attached is the sample Authorization for Deployment to be issued to personnel of the division and schools providing critical services as defined in this memorandum.
