Office of the President

NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY

Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City

NHA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 2020-42

SUBJECT : UPDATED GUIDELINES ON THE IMPOSITION OF COMMUNITY

QUARANTINE DUE TO COVID-19 AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
SAFETY AND HEALTH PROTOCOLS IN THE NATIONAL HOUSING
AUTHORITY

Pursuant to the following government issuances and in accordance with the

recommendations of the NHA Safety and Health Task Force, the Updated Guidelines on the
Imposition of Community Quarantine due to COVID-19 and the Implementation of Safety
and Health Protocols in the National Housing Authority is hereby prescribed:

• Executive Order No. 112 dated April 30, 2020, issued by the Office of the
President;
• Memorandum Circular No. 10, s. 2020, issued by the Civil Service Commission;
• Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the
Philippines with Amendments as of July 16, 2020; and
• NHA Office Order No. 6949 dated July 17, 2020 on the Creation of the Safety
and Health Task Force.

I. COVERAGE

All NHA officials, employees, consultants, job orders, and Contract of Service
Personnel (CoSP), and to extend to offices operating in the NHA Main Office,
including the CUE, COA Field Office, PFAI, EMPC, security and utility personnel.

II. DEFINITION OF TERMS

2.1. Close Contact – refers to a person who may have come into contact with a
probable or confirmed COVID 19 case two (2) days prior to onset of illness of
the confirmed COVID 19 case until the last time that the said cases test
negative on laboratory confirmation or other approved laboratory test through:

a. Face-to-face contact with a probable or confirmed case within one (1)

meter and for more than 15 minutes;
b. Direct physical contact with a probable or confirmed case;
c. Direct care for a patient with probable or confirmed COVID-19 disease
without using proper personal protective equipment; or
d. Other situations as may be determined by the Safety and Health Task
Force.

2.2. Comorbidity – refers to the presence of a pre-existing chronic disease

condition.

2.3. Confirmed positive COVID 19 Case – refers to an employee who tested

positive for COVID-19 through laboratory confirmation at the national
reference laboratory, subnational reference laboratory, or a DOH-certified
laboratory testing facility, with or without symptoms of COVID-19.

2.4. Contact Tracing – refers to the identification, listing, and follow-up of persons
who may have come into close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.
 Memo Circular No. 2020-42 dated August 8, 2020,
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Updated Guidelines on the Imposition of Community

Quarantine Due to COIV 19 and Implementation of
the Safety and Health Protocols……….Page 2 of 10

2.5. COVID-19 – refers to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 which is caused by the
virus known as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-
COV-2).

2.6. Minimum public health standards – refers to guidelines set by the Department
of Health (DOH), as well as sector-relevant guidelines issued by government
agencies, to aid all sectors in all settings to implement non-pharmaceutical
interventions, which refer to public health measures that do not involve
vaccines, medications or other pharmaceutical interventions which individuals
and communities can carry out in order to reduce transmission rates, contact
rates and the duration of infectiousness of individuals in the population to
mitigate COVID-19.

2.7. Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine – refers to the transition phase

between ECQ and GCQ, when the following temporary measures are relaxed
and become less necessary: stringent limits on movement and transportation
of people, strict regulations of operating industries, provision of food and
essential services, and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to
enforce community quarantine protocols.

2.8. Modified General Community Quarantine – refers to the transition phase

between GCQ and the New Normal when the following temporary measures
are relaxed and become less necessary: limiting movement and
transportation, the regulation of operating industries and the presence of
uniformed personnel to enforce community quarantine protocols.

2.9. New Normal – refers to the emerging behaviors, situations and minimum
public health standards that will be institutionalized in common or routine
practices and remain even after the pandemic while the disease is not totally
eradicated through means such as widespread immunization. These include
actions that will become second nature to the general public as well as
policies such as bans on large gathering that will continue to remain in force.

2.10. Probable COVID 19 Case – refers to a suspect COVID-19 case who was:

a. Tested for COVID-19 but with inconclusive result; or

b. Tested positive for COVID-19 but the test was not conducted in a national
or subnational reference laboratory or an officially accredited laboratory for
COVID-19 confirmatory testing.

2.11. Operational capacity – refers to such a number of employees or workers who

can be permitted or required to physically report for work on-site in a
particular office/department.

2.12. Safety and Health Compliance Task Force refers to the team responsible for
ensuring adherence to safety regulations, rules, and policies and for
assessing unsafe act and environment hazardous situations in the workplace.

2.13. Skeleton Workforce – refers to the operational capacity which utilizes the
smallest number of people needed to maintain basic functions of an office/
department.

2.14. Suspect COVID 19 Case – is any employee with any of the following
conditions:

a. All Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases where no other

cause fully explains the clinical presentation;
 Memo Circular No. 2020-42 dated August 8, 2020,
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Updated Guidelines on the Imposition of Community

Quarantine Due to COIV 19 and Implementation of
the Safety and Health Protocols……….Page 3 of 10

b. Influenza-like Illness (ILI) with any of the following:

• With no other cause that fully explains the clinical presentation and a
history of travel to or residence in an area that reported local
transmission of COVID-19 disease during the 14 days prior to onset
of symptom; or
• With contact to a confirmed or probable case during the 14 days prior
to onset of symptom; and

c. Employee with fever, cough, shortness of breath or other respiratory

symptoms and who are:

• Sixty (60) years old and above;

• With a comorbidity or pre-existing illness;
• Assessed to have high-risk pregnancy; and/or
• Health worker.

III. ALTERNATIVE WORK ARRANGEMENT (AWA)

3.1. Under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or Modified ECQ

a. Work from home for all personnel;

b. Skeleton Workforce shall be limited to a maximum of 10% of the entire

workforce of an office, as may be identified to perform critical activities,
duly authorized by their respective Managers from Mondays thru Fridays,
except Wednesdays.

In determining the 10% skeleton workforce, Managers and Supervisors

should take into consideration the continuity of operations. They must
consider those who are responsible for signing, receiving and
documenting transactions of their respective offices, as well as employees
whose work may not be performed at home, such as, but not limited to the
following:

• Clerk Processors assigned in the receiving area;

• Liaison Aide; and
• Administrative Services Aide

Driver Mechanics, who are identified to provide transport services for the
duration of the MECQ, shall form part of the skeleton workforce but shall
not be considered as part of the maximum 10% limit per office.

3.2. Under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) or Modified GCQ

At least 50% of NHA personnel shall be required to report for work for two (2)
days a week, on shortened work hours from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., and on
work from home arrangement for the remaining three (3) days of the week.

Regular Working Days Work from Home

(Office-based)

Batch 1 Monday to Tuesday Wednesday to Friday

Batch 2 Thursday to Friday Monday to Wednesday

Employees are advised to strictly adhere to their work schedule to avoid

contamination or to contain possible exposure in the workplace and for
reliable contact tracing.
 Memo Circular No. 2020-42 dated August 8, 2020,
_

Updated Guidelines on the Imposition of Community

Quarantine Due to COIV 19 and Implementation of
the Safety and Health Protocols……….Page 4 of 10

Absences of regular personnel on their scheduled days shall be deducted

from their leave credits and/or salaries, as may be applicable, while absences
of CoSP personnel shall be deducted from their wages. Offsetting of
absences of an employee or CoSP for other days in lieu of regular working
days is not allowed for the duration of the community quarantine.

IV. SUBMISSION OF AWA ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT

All personnel, under ECQ/MECQ or GCQ/MGCQ, shall continue to submit their

weekly Accomplishment Reports to their respective supervisors/managers on those
days that they are on WFH arrangement.

Managers and supervisors are further reminded to ensure that their respective staff
are provided with proper instructions, work targets, and tools necessary to perform
their functions, and to strictly monitor their accomplishments, as may be applicable to
their work arrangement.

V. PROVISION OF TRANSPORT SERVICES

5.1. Under ECQ/MECQ

Transport services shall be provided to the identified 10% skeleton workforce,

from their residences to their workstations, and vice versa, based on the list
submitted to the Human Resource Management Department (HRMD) and
General Services Department (GSD) and/or Administrative Services Officers
of the Regional/District Offices.

5.2. Under GCQ

a. GSD shall dispatch rental buses/vans, in addition to the four (4) NHA
shuttle buses to provide point-to-point transport services to personnel on
their scheduled workdays;

b. For ease of control and identification, GSD shall issue colored passes
with the corresponding designated seat numbers to all bus passengers,
which shall be attached to their ID cards.
Batch 1 (Mondays and Tuesdays) Red
Batch 2 (Thursdays and Fridays) Yellow
c. Batch 1 and 2 passengers shall be allowed to avail of transport services
only on their scheduled workdays, except those required to report daily
such as driver-mechanics, managers and signatories, and members of
the Safety and Health Task Force who will be provided with a separate
color code to be identified later; and

d. GSD shall identify separate bus terminals within the NHA premises to
avoid overcrowding among boarding or alighting passengers. It shall
likewise identify and assign one (1) transport marshal for every route, who
shall ensure that passengers are accommodated according to their
scheduled workdays and designated seat numbers, and to ensure that all
safety and health protocols are strictly complied with.

VI. SECURITY PROTOCOLS

6.1. Entry to NHA Main Office shall be limited only to current NHA Officials,
employees, consultants, and CoSPs and other personnel rendering work
inside the NHA compound with valid identification card.
 Memo Circular No. 2020-42 dated August 8, 2020,
_

Updated Guidelines on the Imposition of Community

Quarantine Due to COIV 19 and Implementation of
the Safety and Health Protocols……….Page 5 of 10

Further screening shall be conducted by the guards on duty through the

validated list of employees, to be provided by HRMD and other offices, such
as NHA-COA Field Office, Provident Fund Association, Inc. (PFAI),
Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (EMPC) and Consolidated Union of
Employees (CUE) and accredited agencies of security and utility personnel.

6.2. Upon entry to the NHA premises, everyone must submit to body temperature
check and sanitation procedures to be conducted by the security guard on
duty. Personnel with body temperature above 37.5°C shall be escorted to the
Medical Clinic for assistance. Visitors and clients with temperature above
37.5°C shall be denied entry to the NHA premises.

6.3. NHA Gates shall be used strictly by the following:

a. Pedestrians shall use only the front pedestrian gate along the Elliptical
Road; and
b. Those in vehicles either private, official or shuttle services, shall use the
the rear gates along Mayaman Street.

6.4. Visitors, couriers, food service deliveries, and clients who have official/
personal business with NHA and its employees, shall be assisted and
directed to the frontline station located near the rear entrance gate along
Mayaman Street.

All official documents shall also undergo UV sanitation before these will be
received by the Public Assistance Desk (PAD) Officers. However,
representatives from concerned departments/offices shall personally deal with
visitors and clients, receive parcels and/or food deliveries at the said station.

VII. MINIMUM HEALTH STANDARDS

7.1. Employees shall conduct self-assessment and fill-out the Daily Health
Checklist before leaving their respective homes.

Those who are experiencing respiratory symptoms such as cough, colds, and
sore throat, or any of the conditions stated in the checklist, are prohibited to
report for work and are advised to notify their respective Administrative
Officers, Managers, and Safety Officers, to be authorized on excused
absence and work from home while recovering, subject to submission of AWA
Accomplishment Report. However, the employee may opt to file sick leave if
he/she feels too sick to deliver the expected outputs.

Those who report for work, in spite of manifesting any of the said symptoms,
shall be immediately sent home and required to undergo the RT-PCR (swab)
test at their personal expense.

7.2. Upon entrance and while inside the NHA premises, the following are
mandatory:

a. Appropriate face masks, preferably the 3-layer surgical disposable mask,

to be worn at all times and without exception; and
b. Face shields while inside the NHA premises for added protection.

7.3. Employees are required to wash and sanitize their hands properly before
entering their respective offices and all throughout the workday.

7.4. Employees must use their own pens for writing time logs in the Daily Register
of Attendance (DRA), and in receiving, transmitting, and signing documents.
 Memo Circular No. 2020-42 dated August 8, 2020,
_

Updated Guidelines on the Imposition of Community

Quarantine Due to COIV 19 and Implementation of
the Safety and Health Protocols……….Page 6 of 10

7.5. Social/physical distancing of at least two (2) meters apart shall be strictly
observed, to include boarding and alighting the shuttle or service vehicle.

7.6. Employees are prohibited from congregating in work rooms or common areas
at all times and to remain in their own tables during snack or lunch breaks.
Buffets and potlucks, where food and utensils are shared in the workplace,
are also not allowed.

7.7. In-person (face-to-face) meetings are strictly prohibited and shall be limited to
alternative means of communications such as email, zoom conference, and
video calls.

7.8. Movements shall be limited within the department/office and strictly no social
visits to other departments/offices. Sharing and selling of homemade or
commercial products inside enclosed office spaces are highly discouraged.

7.8. Protective barriers for front/receiving desks shall be required, with a minimum
dimension of 1.0m x 1.2m (height x width) to prevent person-to-person
transmission while transacting with co-workers.

7.9. GSD shall provide garbage bags in strategic locations and shall properly
dispose of infectious materials, such as used face masks, face shields, and
the like; and

7.10. Those with personal and official travel history, both local and international
destinations, shall immediately submit a report to the Safety and Health Task
Force before returning to work, for monitoring and contact tracing purposes.

VIII. ACCOMPLISHMENT OF DAILY HEALTH CHECKLIST

The Administrative Services Officer or designated Administrative Services Staff of the

respective group/region/department/district/office shall act as COVID 19 Monitoring
Officer, who shall perform the following duties:

8.1. Ensure that all personnel accomplish and submit the Daily Health Checklist
immediately upon entering the office;

8.2. Check the accuracy and completeness of the submitted Daily Health
Checklist vis-à-vis number of employees who reported for work based as
recorded in the DRA.

8.3. Monitor employees who may exhibit possible COVID-19 symptoms (i.e. 37.5
body temperature, with “yes” answer to any item on the checklist, etc.) and
report immediately to the Medical Clinic for further evaluation and
assessment;

8.4. Accomplish the Workplace Monitoring Checklist on a daily basis and submit
the same together with all the accomplished Daily Health Checklists to the
Medical Clinic by 10:00 a.m. of each work day, for monitoring and inclusion in
the medical records.

8.5. Ensure that all safety and health protocols are strictly observed and
consistently complied with by all employees.

8.6. Identify and assign an alternate personnel to perform the above duties in his/
her absence and/or while he/she is on work from home.

8.7. Maintain the file of accomplished Daily Health Checklist and Workplace
Monitoring Checklist for monitoring and future reference.
 Memo Circular No. 2020-42 dated August 8, 2020,
_

Updated Guidelines on the Imposition of Community

Quarantine Due to COIV 19 and Implementation of
the Safety and Health Protocols……….Page 7 of 10

IX. SANITATION AND DISINFECTION

9.1. All NHA office premises, hallways, and other work areas shall continue to be
sanitized and disinfected during Wednesdays and Saturdays. Automated
teller machines (ATM), biometric machines, GSIS kiosk, doorknobs/handles,
railings, computers, tables, and chairs shall be sanitized daily;

9.2. Alcohol/Sanitizer shall be provided particularly in conspicuous areas, such as

but not limited to, building entrances, front desk of all departments/offices,
ATMs, GSIS kiosk, and biometric machines;

9.3. All service vehicles and shuttle buses shall be sanitized daily, before and after
use; and

9.4. GSD shall set up sanitation tents at the pedestrian gate along Elliptical Road
and front of the Medical Clinic.

X. PROCEDURE FOR CONTACT TRACING

An employee who exhibits symptoms such as colds, cough, sore throat and/or fever
or those who have an established close contact with a probable or confirmed
COVID-19 case shall immediately report to the COVID 19 Monitoring/Administrative
Services Officers, supervisor or manager, and to the SHCO immediately.

Below are the activities, persons responsible, and the timeline for the contact tracing
and consequent actions:

Activity Person Responsible Timeline

a. Timely report of confirmed Employee, supervisor/manager Immediately
COVID-19 case to the SHCO and/or Health Monitoring Officer

b. Conduct case investigation/ SHCO, concerned Safety Officer, Within 2 days

medical assessment and and Medical Team
submit findings to the SHCO
c. Recommend RT-PCR Testing, SHCO and Medical Consultant 1 day
preventive home quarantine,
and temporary closure of
office spaces for disinfection
d. Approve RT-PCR Testing, General Manager
preventive home quarantine,
and temporary closure of
office spaces for disinfection
e. Monitor and Document status Safety and Health Officers, Until the
of confirmed, probable and Medical Team, Health Monitoring concerned
suspect COVID 19 cases Officers/Administrative Services employee returns
Officers, and to work
HRMD

XI. TARGETED RT-PCR TESTING

The recognized diagnostic test for COVID 19 in the Authority is Reverse

Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), a swab test considered as the
gold standard in diagnosing and confirming COVID-19 cases.

The Authority shall shoulder the costs for the RT-PCR Testing for those exposed to
confirmed or probable COVID 19 cases in the workplace, subject to the following
conditions:
 Memo Circular No. 2020-42 dated August 8, 2020,
_

Updated Guidelines on the Imposition of Community

Quarantine Due to COIV 19 and Implementation of
the Safety and Health Protocols……….Page 8 of 10

11.1. Grant of a maximum of Php5,000.00 for the RT-PCRT test, either through
reimbursement by the employee or cash advance by the SHCO.

11.2. Employee is identified by the Safety and Health Task Force and verified by
the Medical Consultant as close contact of confirmed or probable COVID 19
case in the contact tracing.

11.3. The RT-PCR Test is requested by the Medical Consultant in writing.

11.4. The RT-PCR Tests shall be availed only in diagnostic centers accredited by
the Department of Health.

11.5. Claims for reimbursement shall be processed through a disbursement

voucher within six (6) months from taking the test, complete with the following
documents:

a. Request for testing by the Medical Consultant;

b. Contact Tracing Form;
c. Official Receipt; and
d. Additional documents as may be required for validation and audit
purposes.

XII. PREVENTIVE HOME QUARANTINE AND RETURN TO WORK PROTOCOLS

These are the conditions and duration for the preventive home quarantine and the
requirements for employees to be allowed to return to work:
Conditions requiring Duration Requirements to be submitted to
preventive home the Medical Consultant for
quarantine issuance of return to work
clearance

a. With COVID- Maximum of 14 days or as • Home Quarantine Health

related symptoms may be determined by the Checklist
Medical Consultant

b. Living under the 14 days from date of • Home Quarantine Health

same household exposure or until the release Checklist
with a person of the negative RT-PCR test • Negative RT-PCR test result
awaiting RT-PCR result of the close contact of the household member
test result
If household member is
positive for COVID 19,
employee is required to
undergo the RT-PCR test
c. With pending RT-
PCR test result

• If tested negative 14 days from date of • Home Quarantine Health

for COVID 19 exposure, and to extend until Checklist
the release of the RT-PCR • Negative RT-PCR test result
test result

• If tested positive 14 days from date of swab • RT-PCR test result

for COVID 19 test and to extend further • Home Quarantine Health
until cleared from all Checklist
symptoms • Barangay Health Clearance

Employee is required to notify

the Medical Consultant and
Barangay Health Office
immediately.
 Memo Circular No. 2020-42 dated August 8, 2020,
_

Updated Guidelines on the Imposition of Community

Quarantine Due to COIV 19 and Implementation of
the Safety and Health Protocols……….Page 9 of 10

Employees on home quarantine are not allowed to enter the NHA premises, while
completing the mandatory quarantine period. The security personnel shall be
provided by the Task Force Secretariat the list of employees under home quarantine
for the screening and monitoring.

XIII. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFENSE AND PENALTY

The Safety and Health Taskforce, Administrative Services Officers, and security
personnel are hereby authorized to monitor the compliance and report immediately to
Management those who fail or refuse to comply with the safety and health protocols
specified in this Circular.

Employees who fail to comply with the COVID 19 safety and health protocols shall be
recommended for coaching to be conducted by the Safety and Health Task Force.

Further, non-compliance to the provisions of this Circular shall constitute the violation
of reasonable office rules and regulations with the following penalties:
1st Offense - Reprimand
2nd Offense - Suspension of one (1) to thirty (30) days without pay
3rd Offense - Dismissal from the service

XIV. NHA REGIONAL OFFICES

Regional and District Managers and Officers-in-Charge shall adopt these measures
in their respective offices, in coordination with the Safety and Health Task Force.
They are responsible for assessing the conditions within their areas and to exercise
discretion in implementing the safest and most feasible means to ensure continuous
public service delivery, taking into consideration the safety of all its personnel.

XV. EFFECTIVITY

This Circular shall take effect immediately and shall continue until the state of
calamity and community quarantine are lifted by the President or the IATF-EID.

All Memorandum Circulars, Advisories and other related issuances that are inconsistent
herewith, are hereby superseded.

All concerned shall be guided accordingly.

VICTOR C. BALBA
Officer-In-Charge

Date Approved: August 8, 2020