Over 30K contact tracers start work —Año

A total of 34,057 individuals have started work as COVID-19 contact tracers after completing training, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año announced Wednesday evening.

In his report to President Rodrigo Duterte, Año said that from the 64,422 applicants, a total of 41,068 contacts tracers were qualified while 23,974 were trained.

“So makukumpleto po namin ito within this month of October,” Año said during a televised briefing.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) aims to hire at least 50,000 contact tracers to intensify the government’s contact tracing efforts amid the pandemic.

The hired tracers would earn a minimum of P18,784 per month under a contract of service status, according to the DILG.

Telcos application

Año also reported that the number of telecommunication applications that have been approved have increased to 1,215.

“Sa atin naman pong mga telcos application, sabi ko nga po bumilis na po,” Año said.

“Nung isang linggo po ay 1,171 ang na-approve. Tumaas na po sa 1,215 [ang] approve at ‘yung natitira pong pending application ay sisiguraduhin namin… lumabas kaagad ang approval,” he added.

In August, Malacañang ordered local government units to act within three days on application of telecommunication companies to build cell towers.—LDF, GMA News