A MESSAGE FROM THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

I trust in the Lord, I hope in his word; with him there is plentiful
redemption. (Psalm 130:5,7)

Dear Holy Angel University Community,

Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, aka COVID-19) continues to be top of mind and we’ve

been actively monitoring updates from the Department of Health, CDC, and WHO
to help us manage through this rapidly evolving situation.

Based on the most recent guidance and mandates from the government authorities
and in an abundance of caution, all employees who can work from home, are
hereby required do so starting tomorrow, Monday, March 16, through
Wednesday, April 15, 2020. This guideline applies to full-time and probationary
employees who are able to perform their work duties remotely. Please be mindful
of where you work to minimize the risk of exposure for yourself and others. Your
respective Cluster Heads or Deans will advise you of the Work From Home (WFH)
arrangements for your respective Clusters or College/Schools.

For those who must come into the office to perform their jobs, we expect that
having fewer people in the office will meaningfully reduce the risk of exposure and
spread of viruses within our office. We will also take steps to limit contact for those
in the office including limiting in-person meetings, reminding employees to
maintain a safe distance (two meters) from one another and encouraging people
who do not need to be in the office to stay home. We will also continue sanitizing
the office, as we have been over the past few weeks. If you have any questions
or concerns with working from home productively, please talk to your Cluster Head
or Dean/Principal or contact Dr. Gertrude P. Tuazon (Director, HRMO)
gtuazon@hau.edu.ph or +63 (998) 570-9711.

If you are sick or have any of the main symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2
(fever plus cough, shortness of breath or diarrhea), you are required to stay home
until fully recovered and without symptoms for at least 24 hours. In addition, the
following groups are being advised by health authorities to avoid interaction in
large groups or public settings and should work from home:
.

ONE HOLY ANGEL AVENUE, SANTO ROSARIO, ANGELES CITY 2009

+63 (45) 403-9981 s FAX +63 (45) 888-2514 s lcalingo@hau.edu.ph s http://www.hau.edu.ph
Message from the University President
March 16, 2020
Page 2 of 4

• Senior citizens
• People with underlying health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, etc.)
• People who have a compromised immune system
• Pregnant women

Since we do not have clarity on how long this guidance will be in place, we will evaluate
the situation on an ongoing basis and provide regular updates as we receive additional
information.

Our intent is to keep our employees safe and healthy while staying productive towards
our mission. To ensure that our employees and managers have the support they need
for working remotely, we will identify or develop Remote Work Good Practices, which your
Cluster Heads will communicate to you.

The following are a few other updates and reminders for the next few weeks.

Final Examinations: Final examinations, which have not yet been administered, shall
be cancelled and replaced by alternative online assignments that will meet the same
learning goals. The Deans/Principal will provide further guidelines to their respective
academic units, including the Graduate School. Students with extreme financial need
who have difficulty accessing online materials should contact Ms. Iris Ann G. Castro
(Office of Student Affairs) at icastro@hau.edu.ph or +63 (922) 687-1982 or Ms. Glesie T.
Pineda (University Scholarships and Grants Office) at gpineda@hau.edu.ph or +63 (933)
609-3768.

Graduation Ceremonies: University Commencement is the most important academic

event at any higher education institution. It is at the heart of what we do. Tue to our
“We’re all about students” philosophy, the University Registrar has crafted a graduation
protocol that addresses the competing imperatives of academic tradition, safety and
health of our graduation participants, and government requirements for social distancing.

Travel: All non-essential work-related travel, including conferences, should be cancelled

or postponed at this time, unless approved by the University President.

Events: Except for HAU Paragala, University Commencement, and the Honoris Causa
Ceremony (all during the month of April), all on-site and off-site events will be cancelled.
Please postpone team events and off-sites, until further notice.

Equipment: We expect this remote work arrangement to be temporary, so please use

your best judgment. At your Cluster Head’s discretion, you may take your equipment
home, including your monitor(s), for temporary use. For questions about monitors or
other equipment, please reach out to ITSS. If there are accessories or office supplies
you need to perform your job, you can purchase these items, with Cluster Head approval,
and submit receipts for reimbursement through your manager. The expectation is that
you will return the equipment when we discontinue working remotely. Additional
Message from the University President
March 16, 2020
Page 3 of 4

information about equipment requests, videoconferencing capabilities, and IT support will

be sent out shortly.

Hiring Interviews: All on-site interviews will be transitioned to videoconference

interviews. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Claudia Jumelle Quinto at
cjquinto@hau.edu.ph or +63 (924) 944-3396.

New Hires: HRMO will notify new hires with an upcoming start date about the COVID-
19 update and WFH guidelines. Managers shall coordinate with ITSS regarding
equipment needs of new hires. Hiring managers should reach out to new hires ahead of
their start date to discuss plans for onboarding and any changes impacted by remote
work.

Training: As a provider of education striving to be a great university to work for, we will

not waver in our commitment to workforce development. We will explore ways to deliver
training using technology with training providers. If you have any ideas as to how we
could better meet your training needs in a fully online environment, please reach out to
Ms. Teresita O. Cruz at tcruz@hau.edu.ph or +63 (943) 469-7060.

Employee Assistance Program: This is an especially important time to take care of

yourself, both physically and emotionally. All employees have access to off-site
psychological counseling resources. To avail of such counseling, please contact Ms.
Norma N. Bulaclac (University Guidance Services) at nbulaclac@hau.edu.ph,
dhong0221@gmail.com or +63 (932) 365-6138.

As a reminder, the Department of Health recommends everyday preventive actions to

help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and/or
use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Twenty seconds is the equivalent of one Our
Father or two Hail Mary’s.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
Discard tissue immediately into a closed bin.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay at home when you are sick.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

We will continue to keep a close pulse on what is happening and provide updates on a
weekly basis. We recognize that this is an unprecedented and unique situation and
appreciate your utmost flexibility and support. It is alright to not know what you are
doing because none of us fully do. Only a handful—perhaps none—of our faculty and
staff have experience teaching or working in a fully online environment. You are not alone
in this predicament, and this is the time that we demonstrate the community that we
collectively hold as one of our core values. Your leaders are leading you in crossing a
new bridge at the same time that we are building that bridge.
Message from the University President
March 16, 2020
Page 4 of 4

An extremely hostile environment is the mother of ingenuity and creative thinking. A crisis
is not only a problem, but also a source of opportunity to bring out the best in us. Holy
Angel University is no stranger to this and, as the University community collectively
worked together and survived the Mount Pinatubo eruption, this too shall pass.

Finally, we are first and foremost a Christ-centered community of faith. We find words of
comfort in the Word of God:

if then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble

themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will
hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land.
(2 Chronicles 7:14)

The above verse describes bringing a proud and recalcitrant people or spirit into
subjection—a proud and independent spirit abasing itself. Many Biblical references to
spiritual submission refer to the actions of a king in submitting himself and his nation to
God (e.g., 1 Kings 21:29). It indicates that so long as a person, or nation, is arrogant and
self-sufficient, God can do nothing for them.

Let us, therefore, pray for our leaders that they may acquire an attitude of humility before
God, as well as a willing acknowledgment of our need for God's mercy and grace. If we
remain self-sufficient in our attitudes, we cannot expect God to give us the help we so
desperately need. For the greater glory of God! Laus Deo semper!

Mary Help of all Christians, pray for us.

St. Raphael the Archangel, pray for us.
St. Rock, pray for us.
St. Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.
St. Pedro Calungsod, pray for us.

Standing (Eph. 6:14),

Luis María R. Calingo, Ph.D.

University President

March 16, 2020

Monday of the Third Week of Lent