SENT OR try ar OFFICIAL “ Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY May 20, 2020 JOINT MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR * No. 2020-_01 SUBJECT: Organization_and_Mobilization of Composite Teams in Local G Units for C ity Mitigation of COVID 1. BACKGROUND In view of the ongoing threat of COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) issue these guidelines to establish a network of agencies and composite teams that will execute COVID-19 response activities Il. LEGAL BASES .. Republic Act No. 11223, “Universal Health Care Act of 2019"; . Republic Act No. 7160, “Local Government Code of 1991”; ". Republic Act No. 7305, “Magna Carta of Public Health Workers”; ). Republic Act No. 11332, “Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act”; Sopp E. Proclamation No. 922 (March 8, 2020), “Declaring a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines”; F. Proclamation No. 929 (March 16, 2020), “Declaring a State of Calamity throughout the Philippines due to Coronavirus Disease 2019”; G. DOH Administrative Order 2020-0016, “Minimum Health System Capacity Standards for COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Strategies”; H. DOH Administrative Order 2019-0046, “National Policy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health (DRRM-H)”; DOH-DILG-NEDA-POPCOM Joint Memorandum Circular 2020-0001, “Assessing the Demographic Vulnerabilities of Communities and Houscholds to COVID-19 Infections in Planning and Implementing Efficient Pandemic Response at the Local and Community Levels”; J. DOH Department Memorandum 2020-0189, “Updated Guidelines on Contact Tracing for Close Contacts of Confirmed COVID-19 Cases”; K. DILG Memorandum Circular 2020-077, “Rationalizing the Establishment of a Local Government Unit Task Foree Against COVID-19”; andL. DILG Memorandum Circular 2020-023, “Amended Guide to Action Against the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease”. I. OBJECTIVES This Joint Memorandum Circular aims to provide guidance to local government units (LGUs) on the development of composite teams for COVID-19 response, align terminologies in the policies issued by different national government agencies, and expand the functions and capacities of the composite teams mentioned in these policies. IV, SCOPE AND COVERAGE This Joint Memorandum Circular shall apply to the development of composite teams by local government units, spanning provincial, city, and municipal governments. V._ DEFINITION OF TERMS For the purpose of this Joint Memorandum Circular, the following terms are defined: 1. Case Investigation - profiling of suspect, probable, and confirmed COVID-19 case, which includes but not limited to accomplishment of the case investigation form (CIF), and review of medical, surveillance and laboratory records 2. Case Management - includes first-line response to patients in their households and communities and referral to health facilities and temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TTMFs) for quarantine or isolation 3. Case Reintegration - the process of transitioning from being a close contact, suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 case to being a recovered case and. being certified as eligible to resume community functions, such as returning to work, retuming to public places and socializing with community members, while observing enhanced or general community quarantine procedures, if being implemented in the area 4, Community Engagement - mechanisms for meaningful participation of stakeholders in COVID-19 response at the provincial, city/municipal, barangay, and houschold levels 5. Composite Team - refers to the overall LGU-led group tasked with implementing the provinee/city-wide response against COVID-19 and composed of local health boards, task forces, and units at the provincial, city/municipal and barangay level 6. Contact Tracing - a process of identifying, listing, and following up of persons who may have come into close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case 7. Close Contact - a person who may have come into contact with the probable or confirmed case two days prior to the onset of illness of the confirmed COVID-19 case (use date of sample collection for asymptomatic cases asbasis) until the time that said case test negative on laboratory confirmation or other approved laboratory test through: a. b. © a. Face-to-face contact with a probable or confirmed case within 1 meter and for more than 15 minutes; Direct physical contact with a probable or confirmed case; Direct care for a patient with probable or confirmed COVID-19 disease without using proper personal protective equipment; OR Other situations as indicated by local risk assessments. 8. Confirmed COVID-19 Case - any individual who tested positive for COVID-19 through laboratory confirmation at the national reference laboratory, subnational reference laboratories, or DOH-certified laboratory testing facilities 9. Prevention - implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions intended to proactively minimize and mitigate transmission of COVID-19 10. Probable COVID-19 Case - a suspect case who fulfills anyone of the following listed below: a b. Suspect case whose testing for COVID-19 is inconclusive; or Suspect who tested positive for COVID-19, but whose test was not conducted in a national or subnational reference laboratory or officially accredited laboratory for COVID-19 confirmatory testing: or Suspect case who died without undergoing any confirmatory testing. 11. Suspect COVID-19 case ~ a person presenting with any of the conditions below: a b. Alll cases of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) where NO other etiology or cause that fully explains the clinical presentation; Influenza like illness (ILI) cases with any of the followin; i. With no other etiology that fully explains the clinical presentation AND a history of travel to OR residence in an area that reported local transmission of COVID-19 diseases during the 14 days prior to symptom onset; or, ii, With contact to a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 disease during the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms Individuals with fever or cough or shortness of breath or other respiratory signs or symptoms fulfilling any of the following conditions: i, Aged 60 years old and above; ii, With a co-morbidity; iii, Assessed as having a high-risk pregnancy; and/or iv. Health worker, 12. Task Force - a body organized at the national, regional, provincial, city or municipal level to carry out specific functions and comprised of different offices, units or coordinatorsVI. GENERAL GUIDELINES ‘A, The following shall be the geigtaljrgpidipentation strategies for these guidelines: 1. Establish a province-led/citytee-{HUCs/ICCs) COVID-19 response, pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1991; 2. Employ a primary health care-oriented approach to service delivery with dedicated navigators and coordinators; 3. Observe the process of disease (infectious) notification of health facilities ‘managing COVID-19 cases to the Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health and its local counterpart at all levels of local government, pursuant to the law on the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concem Act or R.A. 11332; 4, Prescribe the assignment of coordinators to give LGUs a free hand to how best organize its response teams; and 5. Handhold the implementation of COVID-19 strategies through the provision of dedicated staff from the national government. B. All governors, city and municipal mayors shall organize and lead a Task Force Against COVID-19 under their respective Local Health Boards. The composition of the Task Force shall be as follows 1. Provincial level (See Annex A) Governor (Chair), Vice Governor (Vice-Chair), Provincial Health Office (PHO), Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU), Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health (DRRM-H) o Health Emergency Management (HEM) Unit, £. Diagnostic and Testing Coordinator (DTC), g. Provincial Referral and Liaison Coordinator (RLC), - (PRLC) h. Provincial Logistics and Resource Support Coordinator (LRSC), i i k saeee Provincial Local Government Operations Office, Provincial Population Office, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), and 1. Provincial PNP Office. ‘The Provincial Task Force Against COVID-19 shall develop and oversee the implementation of the province-wide COVID-19 prevention and mitigation plan. 2. Highly Urbanized City and Independent Component City level (See Annex B: Mayor (Chair), Vice Mayor (Vice Chair), City Health Office (CHO), City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health (DRRM-H) or Health Emergency Management (HEM) Unit, ‘8 ppoge Contact Tracing Teams (CTT),Diagnostic and Testing Coordinator (DTC), City Referral and Liaison Coordinator (RLC), City Logistics and Resource Support Coordinator (LRSC), City Local Government Operations Office, City Population Office, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), City PNP Office, and Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERT). Bgortore ‘The City Task Force Against COVID-19 for HUCs and ICCs shall develop and implement the city-wide COVID-19 prevention and mitigation plan. 3. Component City and Municipal level (See Annex A): a. Mayor (Chair), b. Vice Mayor (Vice Chair), City/Municipal Health Office (CHO/MHO), City/Municipal Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU/MESU), City/Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health (DRRM-H) or Health Emergency Management (HEM) Unit, Contact Tracing Teams (CTT), City/Municipal Referral and Liaison Coordinator (RLC), ity/Municipal Logistics and Resource Support Coordinator (LRSC), City/Municipal Local Government Operations Office, City/Municipal Population Office, City/Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO/MDRRMO), 1. City PNP Office, and m, Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs). geo rn me The City/Municipal Task Force Against COVID-19 shall implement the COVID-19 prevention and mitigation strategies in accordance with the province-wide plan, C. The PHOs, in coordination with the Provincial Department of Health Offices (PDOHO), shall disseminate related COVID-19 policies and provide guidance in developing strategies and plans to operationalize these provisions and tools and Processes to monitor their implementation. These activities should similarly be conducted by CHO/MHOs, in coordination with assigned DOH Development Management Officers (DMO), at the city and municipal level. D. Local epidemiology and surveillance units shall be responsible for conducting surveillance activities, such as but not limited to case investigation. They shall be established encompassing provincial, city, and municipal levels. They shall be composed at a minimum of eight (8) members, preferably with adequate training ‘on epidemiology. To ensure that local epidemiology and surveillance units are equipped in carrying out their functions, Centers for Health Development (CHD) and the PDOHO, through DMOs, shall mobilize Public Health Associates (PHA) to be part of local epidemiology and surveillance units.1. The Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU) shall oversee the case investigation and contact tracing related to COVID-19 in the component city and municipal level. The PESU shall validate all cases and contact tracing data and other essential information from the municipal and component city level for submission to the CHDs/RESU. The PESU shall also ensure that staff shall be assigned to encode case, laboratory, and contact tracing data through the COVID Kaya Information System. These tasks shall be taken on by the epidemiology and surveillance units of highly urbanized or independent component cities. 2. The City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) of highly urbanized cities, independent component cities, and component cities and Municipal Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (MESU) of municipalities shall perform case investigation of suspect, probable, and confirmed COVID-19 cases, as well as provide technical supervision to the Diagnostic and Testing Coordinator in the facilitation of testing and transport of samples to the national reference laboratory or subnational laboratories. The CESU/MESU shall coordinate with the Contact Tracing Teams (CTT) for contact tracing. Dedicated staff shall be assigned to encode cases, laboratory results, and contacts traced through the COVID Kaya Information System. E. Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health (DRRM-H) or Health Emergency Management (HEM) Units shall support in management of the event and health operations during COVID-19 through its coordination, liaison, resource mobilization and information management functions. It shall also support the operationalization of the health cluster in times of other emergencies and disasters that can coincide with the pandemic. F. Contact Tracing Teams (CTT) shall be responsible for the conduct of contact tracing. A CTT shall be composed of physicians, nurses, midwives, sanitary inspectors, population officers, staff from local disaster risk reduction and ‘management offices, Bureau of Fire Protection, local police officers, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and volunteers for contact tracing, navigation, and monitoring of COVID-19. In forming CTTs, a ratio of one (1) contact tracer for every eight hundred (800) individuals is recommended. The additional workers shall be mobilized by mayors of highly urbanized cities, independent component cities and municipalities. G. The Diagnostic and Testing Coordinator (DTC) shall facilitate the testing of patients in coordination with hospitals, swabbing centers, testing centers and sub-national laboratories. H, The Referral and Liaison Coordinator (RLC), in coordination with the BHERT, shall facilitate the referral of COVID-19 patients to hospitals, TTMFs, and other health facilities. The coordinator must have an updated list of health facilities and available resources for the referral and admission of patients. I. The Logisties and Resource Support Coordinator (LRSC), in coordination with other offices, units and coordinators, shall identify and mobilize all necessary resources for implementing prevention measures, case investigation, contact agtracing, case management, case & close contact testing, and case reintegration. Provincial LRSC shall coordinate with the City or Municipal LRSC to mobilize additional resources needed by component cities and municipalities. J. The BHERTs shall be responsible for implementation of preventive measures, support in the conduct of contact tracing at the household level, monitor of close contacts under home quarantine, provision of first-line response, and coordination with the RLC for the referral of patients. To ensure that BHERTs are equipped to conduct these functions, they shall be composed of a barangay executive officer, barangay tanod, health and allied health workers. Furthermore, members of the BHERTs shall possess the basic, common and core competencies of the Barangay Health Services NC I Qualifications of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). SPECIFIC GUIDELINES A. Case Prevention 1. LCEs shall ensure the implementation of COVID-19 prevention protocols including but not limited to strict hand washing, physical distancing, and appropriate use of masks for individuals going to public places as prescribed by AO 2020-0015 on the Guidelines on the Risk-based Public Health Standards for COVID-19 Mitigation. They shall also ensure the provision of necessary logistics to practice preventive behaviors as indicated in the Family Focused Care Plans, including but are not limited to access to water, handwashing and toilet facilities, PPEs, and home disinfectants. 2. LCEs shall utilize the tool developed by the Commission on Population and Development in assessing demographic vulnerabilities of households and communities. Local population officers shall conduct the survey on the demographic vulnerabilities in the locality. 3. The City or Municipal Health Office, Rural Health Units (RHU) and Barangay Health Stations (BHS) shall continuously provide non-COVID-19 health services in adherence to enhanced or general community quarantine protocols. These health facilities shall ensure availability of dedicated healthcare workers, separate from the BHERTs, who will be assigned to provide essential health services including, but not limited to, essential services indicated in DC 2020-0167 on the Continuous Provision of Essential Health Services During COVID-19. Dedicated health workers include Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), Barangay Population Volunteers, Barangay Nutrition Scholars, and Daycare Workers. 4. BHERTs and BHWs shall utilize health promotion strategies and provide health education to households and communities in line with the DOH - “Risk Communication for COVID-19 Health Situation (Message Toolkit)”. a. They shall engage with local civil society or people’s organizations, such as recognized community leaders, schools, and senior citizen ‘groups, to provide health education to households.b. They shall employ appropriate mechanisms to inform houscholds and communities information on COVID-19, including print information, education and communication (IEC) materials, radio advertisements, and household visits. Ready-to-use DOH approved materials from websites and social media accounts of DOH and DILG or from Health Education and Promotion Officers of Centers for Health Development may be used to inform houscholds and communities regarding COVID-19 health education. They shall utilize visual cues and nudges to reinforce COVID-19 prevention strategies, including painting footprints and providing seating arrangements in lines to indicate proper physical distancing, c. They shall recommend the development of appropriate policies to the local health board to institutionalize the different strategies employed for COVID-19 prevention and health promotion. B. Case Investigation 1. The CESU and MESU shall conduct disease epidemiological and surveillance activities for reported cases in their jurisdictions. This includes: a) establishing disease surveillance systems in their reporting unit, b) locating and profiling of cases and review of medical records, c) identifying and investigating case clusters, especially in communities and close settings, d) collecting and transporting of specimens for laboratory confirmation, and e) encoding of surveillance, laboratory, and close contact data using the COVID Kaya Information System, 2. The PESU shall supervise and provide technical assistance to CESUs and MESUs of their municipalities and component cities in the conduct of disease epidemiologic and surveillance activities, as well as necessary resources for their operations. The PESUs shall also validate data submitted by CESUs and MESUs to the COVID Kaya Information System. 3. The RESU shall provide technical assistance in the establishment of ESUs in the provinciaVcity/municipal health offices, supervise the conduct of disease epidemiological and surveillance activities, and data management. The RESUs shall assess and report all essential information to the DOH through the COVID Kaya Information System, C. Contact Tracing 1. CTTs shall conduct contact tracing following DOH DM 2020-0189 on the Updated Guidelines on Contact tracing of Close Contacts of Confirmed COVID-19 Cases and the Data Privacy Act of 2012. The CTTs shall also ‘maintain and update a masterlist of individuals assigned to them, ensuring that all have the PhilHealth Identification Number. a Locating of close contacts, as well as assisting in their profiling, assessment and management shall be headed by the BHERTs, localpolice officers, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) staff, and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). b. Profiling, assessment for symptoms and management of close contacts shall be done by the health and allied health workers of CTTs, assisted by the staff from local population offices, disaster risk reduction management offices. c. Ensuring the safety and welfare of CTs and close contacts shall be the responsibility of local police officers and members of the AFP. 2. CTTs shall submit data to the C/MESU for validation and clearance. Alternatively this data shall be reported through the StaySafe Information system which is integrated with COVID Kaya Information System. a. CESUs and MESUs of component cities and municipalities shall closely coordinate with their respective PESU for the conduct of contact tracing and submission of data upon clearance from the concerned LCE. b. CESUs of highly urbanized cities shall closely coordinate with their respective RESU for their conduct of contact tracing and submission of data upon clearance from the concerned LCE. D. Case and Close Contact Management in Communities 1. Aside from case prevention and support in contact tracing, BHERTs shall ‘monitor close contacts under home quarantine on a daily basis via home visits or use of communication lines (c.g. telephone, cellphone) and self-reporting applications when home visits are not feasible. 2, BHERTs shall provide first-line response to individuals manifesting signs and symptoms, including but not limited to home visits, clinical assessment and coordination of referral. 3. Based on clinical presentation and laboratory results, the close contacts may be re-classified as suspect, probable, or confirmed COVID-19 cases and should be isolated and provided appropriate care immediately. This information should be reported and updated using the EB COVID Kaya Information System. All suspect cases or confirmed cases must be ‘communicated to the LGU health authority for the timely conduct of contact tracing activity. 4. BHERTs shall coordinate with the Referral and Liaison Coordinator (RLC) for the referral of patients to appropriate health facilities or TTMFs for isolation or quarantine. The City or Municipal RLC shall manage the referral of asymptomatic, mild, severe and critical COVID-19 cases to TTMFs and COVID-accepting district hospitals, while the Provincial RLC shall manage the referral of severe and critical to COVID-accepting provincial hospitals and COVID-referral hospitals at the regional level. Referral of patients shall be in accordance with DM 2020-0178 on the Interim Guidelines on Health CareProvider Networks during the COVID-I9 Pandemic. Logistical and transportation requirements shall be coordinated with the Provincial or City/Municipal Logistics and Resource Support Coordinator (LRSC). E. Case and Close Contact Testing 1. The Diagnostic and Testing Coordinator (DTC) shall coordinate with the BHERTS for the testing of cligible individuals. 2. Hospitals and swabbing centers shall swab patients or health workers in accordance with the latest guidelines on Expanded Testing. 3. After swabbing the patient, the DTC shall facilitate the transport of specimens to hospitals, sub-national laboratories, and other testing centers. F. Case and Close Contact Reintegration 1. Reintegration into the community of close contacts, suspect and probable COVID-19 cases, and recovered confirmed COVID-19 cases shall follow the latest DOH protocols. 2. BHERTs shall respond to close contacts and recovered suspect, probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases manifesting recurrence of signs and symptoms according to Section VII. E of this issuance. 3. The LCE, through C/MESU, shall report data of reintegrated cases to the COVID Kaya Information System, Implementation of COVID-19 Strategies in High Risk Areas 1, The COVID Special Teams shall be composed of dedicated epidemiology and surveillance and contact tracing personnel under the guidance of DOH, DILG, and PNP, reporting to the Regional Task Force (See Annex D). 2. The COVID Special Teams shall be tasked to investigate and identify sources and causes of outbreaks and increase in cases in high risk areas (e.g. informal settlements, prisons and detention facilities, orphanages, nursing homes), conduct rigorous contact tracing, immediately refer suspect and probable cases for isolation and close contacts for quarantine, and support the enforcement of prevention measures, in coordination with the composite teams of the Provincial and City or Municipal Task Forces. The COVID Special Teams may implement actions to support the efforts of the Provincial and City or Municipal Task Forces, such as but not limited to providing additional resources, manpower, funding, or investments, assisting the strict enforcement of minimum health standards, or recommending community quarantine measures. 3. Consistent with EO 112, Local Chief Executives may impose community quarantine for specific barangays, municipalities, and component cities, with concurrence from the Regional Interagency Task Force (RIATF). Community quarantine may be imposed on provinces, highly urbanized cities, and 10 @independent component cities with approval of the national IATF upon endorsement of the RIAT 4. The Local Chief Executives shall be guided by FASSSTER, a decision tool that provides visualization on COVID-19 status, forecasts on the epidemic curve, and quick data on socio-economic and security status of an LGU H. Reporting Lines 1, The provincial government shall provide overall supervision, supported by the provincial health board, to the Provincial and City/Municipal Task Forces Against COVID-19 and the different composite teams. The provincial government shall also report pertinent provincial reports and/or data regularly to the DOH, DILG and POPCOM regional offices and the Regional Task Force. 2. Municipal and component city governments shall regularly report to their provincial government on the conduct of the different COVID-19 strategies through the composite teams. 3. CTTs shall report daily to the City or Municipal Health Officer regarding the conduct of contact tracing. 4, BHERTs shall report daily to the City or Municipal Health Officer regarding monitoring of close contacts under home quarantine, first-line response. and coordination for the referral of patients 5. Annex C provides a summary of the reporting lines of the composite teams spanning different levels of government, I. Ensuring the Safety and Welfare of Composite Teams 1. All composite teams shall adhere to COVID-19 prevention protocols, including use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPEs) and physical distancing, following specifications set by DM 2020-0176 on the Interim Guidelines on the Rational Use of Personal Protective Equipment for COVID-19. 2. All members of composite teams shall be entitled to remunerations and benefits as provided under existing laws, including Republic Act 7305 and Administrative Order No. 28. 3. Members of composite teams who become symptomatic shall be immediately isolated and tested following DM 2020-0180 on the Revised Interim Guidelines on Expanded Testing for COVID-19 and DM 2020-0178 Interim Guidelines on Health Care Provider Networks during the COVID-19 Pandemic. J. Training and Development 1. DOH shall develop the necessary materials for the capacity building of composite teams. Online capacity building shall be rolled out to ensure that " fo &composite teams are composed of well-trained human resource complement and provision of adequate resources to carry out their functions and use of the COVID Kaya Information System. The DILG through the Local Government Academy (LGA) shall provide assistance in the conduct of training of composite teams. 2. Other external training providers shall also be engaged to conduct capacity building of composite teams. K. Data Sharing Agreements and Performance Commitments 1. DOH, DILG, DICT, and NEDA shall enter into a Memorandum of Agreement and Data Sharing Agreement to facilitate the collection of case investigation and contact tracing data and ensure that data privacy of close contacts and suspect, probable, and confirmed COVID-19 cases are protected. 2. A Performance Commitment Form shall be signed by all composite team members to ensure proper implementation of prevention measures, case investigation, case management, case and close contact testing, and case reintegration protocols, and accountability in collecting and processing personal information of close contacts, suspect, probable, and confirmed COVID-19 cases (See Annex E). VII. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES A. The Department of Health (DOH), through the Epidemiology Burean (EB), shall: 1. Develop policies and guidelines on and provide overall technical supervision to the conduct of case investigation, contact tracing, and referral for isolation ‘or quarantine; 2. Create learning designs and provide expert's content and resource persons to the courses and learning materials to be developed with HHRDB; and 3. Implement and cascade the roll-out plan for the use of COVID KAYA. B. The Department of Health (DOH), through the Health Emergency Management Bureau (HEMB), shall: 1. Develop policies and guidelines and provide technical assistance on the operationalization of preparedness, response and recovery plans for COVID-19 in the context of health resilience; 2. Develop mechanisms to strengthen command, control, coordination and communication functions of health sector; 3. Support in the mobilization of resources to address the requirements of COVID-19 and other hazards, emergencies and disasters. C. The Department of Health (DOH), through the Health Promotion and Communications Service (HPCS), shall: 121 Develop policies and guidelines and provide overall technical supervision to the implementation of health promotion activities and disease prevention measures; and Provide inputs to the capacity building plan, content and materials developed by HHRDB. D. The DOH Academy, through the Health Human Resource Development Bureau (HHRDB), shall: 1 2, 3 1 2. 3 Assist EB in the development of capacity-building plan and flexible learning materials, integrated with other DOH offices and DILG; Assist EB in the repackaging of courses into online resources and facilitate uploading into the DOH eLearning platform; and Engage with leaning institutions and providers who will deliver DOH learning modules. ‘The DOH Centers for Health Development (CHD), shall: Provide technical assistance, guidance and capacity-building of LGUs, local task force and the composite teams; Mobilize available supplementary resources for the assistance in implementation of COVID-19 strategies by the composite teams; and Assist in the capacity building of LGUs and composite teams. F._ The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall: L 2. 3. 6. 7. Facilitate interagency implementation of the JMC. Provide overall managerial support to composite teams formed at the local level; Ensure the compliance of LGUs to case prevention, case investigation, contact tracing, case management, case and close contact testing and case reintegration policies, plans and protocols by the national and provincial government; Support the capacity building of LGUs through the Local Goverment ‘Academy (LGA), in partnership with the DOH, POPCOM, and DICT; Provide counterpart support through the DILG Regional Office and Provincial Offices for every deliverable of the LCEs. Mobilize human resources to support the staffing requirements of the composite teams; and Cascade and orient LGUs on the COVID-19 LGU Handbook. G. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) shall: 2s Ensure integration and interoperability of various information and communication technologies and systems for COVID-19; and Provide necessary support as deemed necessary by the DILG. H. The National Economic and Development Authority, through the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM), shall: 131. Implement the use of the Demographic Vulnerabilities Survey to local goverment units; 2. Develop a capacity building plan and materials for the training of LGUs on the use of the Demographic Vulnerabilities Survey; 3. Engage training providers, as needed; 4. Mobilize human resources to support the staffing requirements of the composite teams; and 5. Provide necessary support as deemed necessary by the DILG. ‘The Province shall: 1. Organize and lead, through the PHB, the province-wide response against COVID-19 in accordance to the risk classification of the province; 2. Establish, through the PHO, the Health Care Provider Network from primary care to tertiary care, both government and private, within the whole province-wide health system, with defined pathways for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cases; Organize and lead the Provincial Task Force Against COVID- I Oversee the performance of component cities and municipalities Develop, through the Vice Governor, COVID-19-related ordinances and policies; 6. Allocate, through the Provincial LRSC, 30% of Approved Bed Capacity of level 2 and level 3 LGU hospitals for possible admission of critical and severe COVID-19 cases; 7. Establish, through the Provincial RLC, coordination lines the City/Municipal Referral & Liaison Coordinator, CHDs, and public and private health facilities for the for the referral of critical and severe COVID-19 cases; 8. Ensure, through the DTC, that all patients needing testing are tested; 9. Mobilize, through the Provincial LRSC, all necessary resources for COVID-19; 10. Validate, through the PESU, all COVID-19 data submitted to the COVID Kaya Information System; 11, Partner with NGOs, CSOs, and all other institutions for the implementation of COVID-19 strategies; and 12, Master the COVID-19 LGU Handbook. wee Highly Urbanized Cities and Independent Component Cities shall: 1. Organize and lead, through the City Health Board (CHB), the city-wide response against COVID-19 in accordance to the risk classification of the city; 2. Establish, through the City Health Office (CHO), the Health Care Provider Network with defined pathways for COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 Cases; Organize and lead the City LGU Taskforce against COVID-19; Develop, through the Vice Mayor, COVID-19-rclated ordinances and policies; Allocate, through the City Logistics & Resource Support Coordinator, at least 30% of Approved Bed Capacity of level 2 and Level 3 hospitals for possible admission of critical and severe COVID-19 cases; 6. Provide, through the City Health Office, administrative supervision to temporary treatment and monitoring facilities; 7. Establish, through the City Referral & Liaison Coordinator (RLC), yay 14coordination lines with the BHERTs, CHDs, and public and private health facilities for the referral of asymptomatic, mild, severe and critical COVID-19 cases; 8. Ensure, through Diagnostic and Testing Coordinator (DTC), that all patients needing testing are tested; 9. Mobilize, through the City Logistics & Resource Support Coordinator, all necessary resources for COVID-19; 10. Validate, through the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU), all COVID-19 data submitted to the COVID-19 Information System; 11, Partner with NGOs, CSOs, and all other institutions for the implementation of COVID-19 strategies; and 12, Master the COVID-19 LGU Handbook. . Component Cities and Municipalities shall: 1. Organize and lead the City/Municipal Task Force Against COVID-19; 2. Implement, through the City/Municipal Task Force Against COVID-19, the ‘COVID-19 Response in accordance to the approved province-wide plan; 3. Develop, through the Vice Mayor, COVID-19-related ordinances and policies; 4, Ensure, through the City/Municipal Health Office, the continuous provision of essential health services for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients; 5. Establish, through the City/Municipal Referral & Liaison Coordinator, coordination Jines with BHERTs and Provincial Referral & Liaison Coordinator for the referral of asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 cases; 6. Provide, through the C/MHO, administrative support to the temporary treatment and monitoring facilities; 7. Partner with NGOs, CSOs, and all other institutions for for the implementation of COVID-19 strategies, and 8. Mobilize, through the City/Municipal LRSC, resources for the following key activities: a. Prevention measures through the BHERT and BHW; b. Case Investigation through the CESU or MESU; ¢. Contact Tracing through the CTT; . Operation of facility-based (TTME) isolation or quarantine through the C/MHO; and €. Patient transportation. G. The Barangay shall: Organize and mobilize the BHERTS; 2. Ensure all constituents have Philhealth Identification Number; Implement, through the BHERT, community-based interventions (prevention, monitoring and first-line response); 4. Partner with NGOs, CSOs, and all other institutions for for the implementation of COVID-19 strategies, and 5. Support the following key activities: a. Implementing preventive measures through the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams; b. First-line response through the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams; 15©. Support in contact tracing (as designated by City of Municipal Health Officer); and 4. Patient Transportation. IX, SEPARABILITY CLAUSE If any provision in this Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting. X. REPEALING CLAUSE All provisions of existing guidelines that are not consistent with this JMC are hereby revised, modified, and/or repealed accordingly. XI EFFECTIVITY This Joint Memorandum Circular shall take effect immedi ISCO ¥. DUQUE IIL, MD, MSe Secretary xment of Health Department of the Interior and Local Government a GREGORIO B. HONASAN TI KARWKENDRICK T. CHUA, PhD Secretary Acting Secretary Department of Information and National Economic and Development ‘Communications Technology Authority 16tion Lines of the Provincial Task Force Against COVID-19 ‘Annex A. Organizational Structure and Coordi ee )Annex B. Organizational Structure and Coordination Lines of the City Task Force Against COVID-19 in Highly Urbanized Cities and Independent Component Cities & oAnnex C. Matrix Organizational Structure of the LGU Composite Teams with National Government AgenciesAnnex D. [For High Risk Areas] Matrix Organizational Structure of the LGU Composite Teams with National Government Agencies, LATE, NTF, RTF and the "Interagency Task Fores GATE) @___ National Task Force NTF)Annex E. Performance Commitment Form (Letterhead of Local Government Unit) (Date) DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila SUBJECT: Performance Commitment SirlMadam: To guarantee our commitment to support the fight against COVID-19, we respectfully submit this Performance Commitment. We hereby warrant the following representations: 1 That we shall participate in the conduct of COVID-19 surveillance activities in accordance with the policies and protocols set by the Department of Health, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology. That we shall ensure the safety and welfare of each of the members of composite teams through providing appropriate personal protective equipment and reinforcing other prevention measures. That we shall ensure that reasonable and appropriate security measures are implemented to safeguard the patients’ data collected, used, stored, or otherwise processed using the platform, against any accidental or unlawful destruction, alteration or disclosure as well as unlawful access, fraudulent misuse, or any other unauthorized processing. That we shall ensure members are trained prior to conduct functions. That we shall first obtain the informed consent of the patient prior to the collection of any personal data and the offering of any telemedicine service. That we shall uphold the data privacy rights of patients and physicians or medical doctors using the platform, and shall provide mechanisms for the effective exercise of these rights. That we shall comply with all pertinent DOH guidelines on COVID-19 responses and patient surveillance. That we recognize that the DOH shall be the controller of patients’ data, which remains to be owned by the individual patients.9. That we shall comply with the necessary protocols for data sharing, monitoring and evaluation activities. 10. That we shall act as the processor of patient data for and on behalf of the DOH. 11. That we understand and acknowledge that any unauthorized use of information without the proper government authority shall constitute a violation of all applicable laws and regulations on confidentiality including the provisions under Republic Act 10173, otherwise known as the “Data Privacy Act of 2012”, and shall be dealt with accordingly. Very Truly Yours, Authorized Representative of the Local Government Unit