Category: Citizen-centered Services

Name of the Organization

Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office VIII

Name of the Office/Unit that leads the implementation of this best practice entry

Regional Resource Operations Section (RROS) under Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD)

Focus Area of the Best Practice

Strategy, Operations, Management and Perspectives on Productivity and Quality

Date the best practice was first implemented

5 March 2018 – up to present

Summary of the Best Practice

Regional Resource Operations Section (RROS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VIII is changing the game in emergency response. Since 2018, the field office has been implementing the Family Food Packs (FFP), which introduced the following innovations:

  • Transition from plastic bags to Family Food Pack boxes
  • Installation of racking systems
  • Use of the assembly line method and rollers

Altogether, these innovations improved how FFPs were packaged, produced, and stored and are currently being implemented at RROS.

During emergencies, especially during post-disaster response, the FFPs become a common sight to affected families, who often depend on these boxes for survival, as these boxes contain enough food to feed a family of five for two to three days.

As the chair of the Food and Non-Food Item (FNFI) Cluster of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), DSWD is responsible for the production, storage, and distribution of these FFPs. And true to its commitment, DSWD has indeed produced and distributed these relief items where they are needed–from the Yolanda-ravaged communities in 2013 to the highlands of San Jose de Buan in 2019, and even to the locked-down municipality of Burauen during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, FFP made a difference.

It all started when the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s RROS under the Disaster Response and Management Division (DRMD) thought of a response to DSWD’s Administrative Order 01, Series of 2018. RROS was responsible for ensuring the availability, accessibility, and readiness of resources, food and non-food items, and the administration of necessary support before and during disaster operations. The RROS is further subdivided into the Warehousing and the Donations Unit.

The Challenge

A few years ago, DSWD FO Vlll’s FFPs were packed in plastic bags. The production process needed to be more streamlined. All raw materials (canned goods, rice, coffee, etc.) would be placed on low tables. Volunteers and DSWD workers would gather around these tables, sort and place these raw materials into plastic bags marked with the DSWD logo. After repacking the food items into FFPs, these plastic bags would then be placed inside a sack and then stacked on top of pallets and on top of each other. Each sack was then marked with the production date and the expiration date. The expiration date was based on the food item with the nearest expiration date. Using this information, it became easier to plan which sacks should first be distributed.

This method required plenty of effort and was slow and exhausting. The goods were more susceptible to damage due to compression in the stacking and were not environment-friendly due to the heavy use of plastic materials.

Solution and Impact

The evolution of Family Food Pack (FFP) from plastic to carton boxes did not happen overnight. Gradual improvements had to be implemented in stages.

Stage 1: Transition from Plastic Bags to Boxes (2018)

The transition from plastic bags to boxes started in 2018 when DSWD FO VIII outsourced boxes from DSWD Field Office X, 51,777 pcs of slotted carton boxes costing Php1,967,526.0–a considerable Savings generated by the department since those were considered extra boxes of Field Office X.

Stage 2: Installation of Racking System (2018)

By mid-2018, DSWD acquired a racking system, a storage solution designed to stack materials in rows with multiple levels, which was handed over when the local branch of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) shut down its office. This paved the way to generating another savings of Php 231,034.40 for 20 sets of racks. Resulting in easier storing of relief items, protecting contents from stacking pressure and extra storage space available for more FFPs and raw materials.

Innovation
Stage 3: Assembly Line Method and Rollers (2018-2019)

Taking inspiration from the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in NCR and Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Cebu, RROS implemented an assembly line method.
Using this method, repackers would stand alongside the table, FFPs would be pushed from one end of the table to the other, making small stops along the way and sealed by taping the boxes.
This streamlined system sped up the process and more FFPs were produced. However, this method had one challenge as this entails more effort in pushing the boxes along the table.
RROS devised an alternative solution through recycling materials (PVC Pipes, ball bearings, found steel, nuts/bolts) to create a fully functional Do-It-Yourself (D.I.Y) roller system. This effectively reduced strain on the part of the repackers, making the process smoother.

Performance and Results

These innovations resulted in more efficient production, storage and delivery of the FFPs, as follows:

  • More environmentally-friendly. Due to the switch to boxes, DSWD was able to reduce the usage of plastic.
  • Easier identification of the DSWD brand. Beneficiaries are easily able to differentiate between relief items from the LGUs and OSWO through the packaging.
  • Boxes are more secure. Once sealed, beneficiaries are assured that the relief items packed at the RROS are exactly what they will receive. Boxes also prevent accidental spillage of relief items due to rough handling during relief operations.
  • Easier organization and storage. The FFP box is stackable up to 100 FFPs per pallet, enabling easier storage compared to plastic bags.
  • Vertical storage frees up floor space. Due to the racking system, FFPs are stored vertically increasing Storage Capacity and meeting the required minimum of 20,000 FFPs. (See Annex I)
  • Faster production of FFPs. Increased number of FFPs produced in a day reaching new heights at 5000 FFPs (during Odette Relief Operations)–double the previous production figures.
Replicability

This ingenuity has already caught the attention of several DSWD Field Offices and Local Government Units.

In July 2019, RROS staff participated in the 2nd National Resource and Logistics Management
Conference held in Cebu City, where each DSWD Field Office across the country presented its Best Practices. Later that year, these innovations were also featured during DSWD NCR’s benchmarking activity, where a visit to inspect these innovations at RROS.

In 2020, RROS was invited as a resource agency by the Provincial Local Government Unit of Western Samar for the training of Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDOs) and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers (MDRRMOs), imparting these best practices, encouraging them to replicate at the local level.

Insights of these innovations were also put into practice during the augmentation of the relief operations related to the Cotabato earthquakes last October 2019. RROS assisted in organizing the arrival of relief items and donations from various DSWD Field Offices and other agencies.

These innovations are incorporated in the Operations Manual for the Disaster Response Management Division, aiming to achieve full mechanization in the efficient production of FFPs and provide quality relief items for its dependents.

Milestones

Last January 2022, the good practice documentation “Nang Dahil sa Kahon” of DRMD Field Office VIII gained recognition when it was awarded as the Best Knowledge Management Initiative under the Innovation Category of the 2021 Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) Awards.

In July 2019, DSWD FO VIII also gained recognition when it won the Over-all Winner in Good Practice Presentation on Resource and Logistics Management during the 2nd National Resource and Logistics Management Conference held in Cebu City participated by the DSWD Field Offices across the 17 Regions in the Philippines.

RROS was also invited in 2020 as a resource agency by the Provincial Local Government Unit of Western Samar for the training of Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDOs) and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers (MDRRMOs) from the province and imparting these best practices, encouraging them to replicate at the local level. Another LGU, the Municipal Government of Catarman, Northern Samar, is currently arranging with the RROS for the conduct of a similar training this August of 2022.

These innovations were also practiced during the relief operations for the families affected by the Cotabato earthquakes last October 2019 during the augmentation for the relief operations, providing technical assistance in organizing and proper storage of relief items and donations.
Furthermore, these innovations are continually being implemented as RROS enlarges its operations in 2019 when the new warehouse in Palo, Leyte was opened.

These new innovations are also incorporated in the Operations Manual for the Disaster Response Management Division in the pursuit of full mechanization in producing FFPs ensuring efficiency and providing quality relief items to families who depend on them after disasters.

Testimonials

The continuous improvement of the operations of RROS in producing FFPs gained positive feedback from beneficiaries who witnessed the transformation of FFPs distributed in the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda to its latest and more dignified form.

“Isa akong survivor ng bagyong Yolanda at yung bagong dating na bagyo, yung bagyong Odette. Nakatanggap ako ng relief goods mula sa DSWD Regional Office. Para sa akin, dati, di natin alam kung yung mga ipinamigay mula sa DSWD Region, di natin alam kung binawasan, dahil kapag naka-box siya, malalaman agad kapag binawasan kasi selyado siya ng packing tape.” – Nanay Lenny (Yolanda Survivor 2013 and Odette Survivor 2021)

“Ayos naman, mas maganda ko yung ngayong naka-box kasi selyado talaga siya hindi na makakasabing kulang.” – Nanay Yolanda (Yolanda Survivor 2013 and Odette Survivor 2021)

More so, the innovations applied yielded improvements of how FFPs are stored to ensure the quality and further increase the number of FFPs produced and stored through the Racking System and in speeding up the production through the Assembly Line Method and Rolling System.

“‘Yung storage dati, nilalagay lang yung paleta sa floor. Di talaga kami nakaka-storage ng marami kasi limitado lang ang lugar. Tapos ngayong may racking system na tayo, nakakapag-storage na tayo ng mas marami. Nama-maximize na natin yung lugar. Mas marami na yung goods na pwede nating i-stack at mas mabilis mag-store, mabilis bilangin at mabilis na rin ang pag-imbentaryo,” said Mark Anthony Tabones, Project Development Officer (Logistics).

Name of the Organization

Department of Social Welfare and Development

Name of the Office/Unit that leads the implementation of this best practice entry

Caraga Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens

Focus Area of the Best Practice

Digitization and New Technologies

Date the best practice was first implemented

01 January 2016 – up to the present

Summary of the Best Practice

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office (FO) in Caraga is using technology to make the disbursement of social pension of indigent senior citizens easier. Pertinent information about the social pension beneficiary–from personal details, inclusions, and exclusions to the program, to their payrolls and validations–are now digitized for easy tracking.

The information system aims to:
  • Establish accurate payroll by eliminating double or multiple entries of names of the beneficiaries;
  • Generate efficient physical and financial reports; and
  • Promote transparency, especially on the delivery of stipends.
It has the following key features:
  • Biometric registration and verification (usage discontinued due to the pandemic)
  • Cross-matching of names not limited to the exact spelling
  • Data logs about the senior citizen/beneficiary

Currently, it serves as the very core of the program implementation as the data/reports to the DSWD Central Office or any other concerned offices are from the system.

The Challenge

The social pension program for indigent senior citizens is an important program but its implementation has faced a lot of challenges, including data accuracy, payment disbursement, report generation, and stakeholder engagement.

Data Accuracy
  1. There was a limited number of technical working staff of the Regional Social Pension Unit (RSPU) to manage the data of the increasing number of beneficiaries from 9,375 in CY 2011 to 62,235 in CY 2015.
  2. The accurate data reflected in the payroll have been compromised because of the manual checking of the reports/ data from local government units (LGUs), most especially on the checking of complete names, birthday, age, sex, address, etc., on the submitted waitlisted and delisted report by the LGUs, which resulted in multiple entries of names across the region.
Payment
  1. Due to inaccurate data, double or multiple payments for one beneficiary were reported.
  2. Paymasters found it hard to verify and identify the paid beneficiaries from one area to another.
  3. Considering that no device was installed to identify and verify the true identity of the beneficiaries, there were instances when somebody holding the same ID claimed the stipend.
Report generation
  1. It took several hours to generate the paid and unpaid beneficiaries.
  2. There were difficulties in generating a summary of the report, such as the number of Pantawid Pamilya members/beneficiaries, number of indigenous peoples (IP) beneficiaries, number of male and female, number of bedridden and sickly, and the number of waitlisted and delisted beneficiaries with corresponding remarks.
Local Government Units / Partner / Stakeholder
  1. The LGU staff claimed to need a source of information about the history of the beneficiary in the program, such as unclaimed quarters and personal information.
  2. The LGU staff claimed to have no accessible reference regarding the status of the beneficiaries in the program. They need to look for the approved documents for every transaction to answer each client’s concerns.
  3. The Focal Person has no accessible reference for the names of senior citizens endorsed for the waitlist to the Field Office. Instead, they need to scan their previously submitted reports to provide an exact answer to the clients, which resulted in repeated reports.
Walk-in Clients / Program Beneficiaries
  • Regional Office manually counts or tracks beneficiaries with complicated issues such as inclusion and exclusion errors.

Solution and Impact

The developer-focused first on the very core of the implementation of the program, which is the generation of payroll and prevention of duplicate entries of beneficiaries in the payroll because it is always the concern of the Commission on Audit through Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM), and from there, the developer slowly bonus features based on the request of the staff/persons involved in the program to boost productivity in the office. The office conducted consultations and dialogues with LGUs.

The information system is deployed and can only be accessed internally within the DSWD Field Office Caraga and has consistently been used from 2016 to the present.

DSWD Region XI office conducted benchmarking last 2018 to determine what the information system is capable of. DSWD Region X also did a benchmark in July 2022. Both regional offices wanted to replicate the system if deemed appropriate for their needs.

Before using the system, the office had 13 staff working in different program areas–from the frontlines to the finance division. Due to huge additional slots in the program last 2016, all the staff is forced to create payroll to catch up with the deadline of conducting the payouts quarterly. During that time, the staff always worked overtime since the manual creation of payrolls was time-consuming.

Results/Impact
  • RSPU staff does not have to render overtime to complete urgent reports.
  • The system reduces human labor, especially in preparing payroll for eligible beneficiaries.
  • It helps the timely and efficient generation of physical and financial reports.
  • SPInS also helps the RSPU disseminate complex information to partners and stakeholders.
  • RSPU staff can now provide an accurate answer as to the status of the application and reasons for delisting to walk-in clients, even in the absence of the payroll in charge through an audit trail.
  • Reduced cases of double and multiple entries across the region allow other eligible senior citizens to be included in the program, especially those that need prioritization.
  • Easier retrieval of files and information needed.
  • Promotes healthier working conditions and simplifies tasks, especially to the payroll in charge and the LGU focal person.
  • It contributes to speedy transactions and the timely release of stipends.
  • It eliminates the risks of releasing stipends to non-beneficiaries.
  • It allows for establishing and managing a comprehensive database of eligible indigent senior citizens as a basis for planning and decision-making at RSPU’s level and in the LGU.
  • It does not require additional manpower to do tasks, making it cost-effective.
Next Steps

Currently, the Information Technology Officer is developing a new version of the system that not only caters to the program’s needs but also the needs of the office that implements the program. Some of the features are the following:

  • System Integrations within the DSWD FO Caraga (Finance, HR/Personnel, etc.)
  • Direct SMS messaging to the beneficiaries
  • Standard Operating Procedure tracking
  • System access outside the network of DSWD FO Caraga
  • Mobile access with offline access
  • Asynchronous Execution of Task

Milestones

The information system had the following awards:

  • 2022 2nd Best Knowledge Management Initiative (National PRAISE)
  • 2022 1st Best Knowledge Management Initiative (Regional PRAISE)
  • 2020 2nd Best Knowledge Management Initiative (Regional PRAISE)
  • 2019 2nd Best Knowledge Management Initiative (Regional PRAISE)

Name of the Organization

Cagayan Economic Zone Authority

Name of the Office/Unit that leads the implementation of this best practice entry

Community Affairs and Development Division

Focus Area of the Best Practice

Strategy, Inclusive Development, Social Innovation

Date the best practice was first implemented

14 March 2006 – up to present

Summary of the Best Practice

The Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP) was rife with environmental, social, economic, and institutional issues that impeded the area’s development and livelihood. However, Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) saw that livelihood diversification could help address these problems and saw the opportunity to develop the area for tourism. To achieve these goals together, CEZA initiated a Community-Based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) Program, a pilot test in Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (PIPLS). Through a range of activities around organizational development, community management, and resource generation, the program managed to help secure livelihoods for its residents, beautify the area, and earn an income of over Php 50 million that benefitted the community.

The Challenge

In the early years of taking over the CSEZFP, CEZA was confronted with environmental, social, economic, and institutional issues that have impeded the area’s development. The rich biodiversity of the area was threatened by abusive and uncontrolled practices. The forest lands were slowly deteriorating due to illegal logging, timber poaching, and the conversion of forest lands into agricultural land for the daily needs of the local population. Similarly, marine resources were also exposed to illegal fishing, marine products extraction, and other activities that had detrimental effects. With the main sources of livelihood being fishing and agriculture and with limited livelihood and income opportunities available for the residents back then, there was a struggle between sustaining people’s needs and preserving and protecting the area’s natural resources.

CEZA recognized that livelihood diversification could help address the people’s problems. Moreover, in seeing the area’s natural beauty, CEZA also recognized the area’s potential to be a key player in the country’s tourism industry. To achieve these goals together, CEZA envisioned a Community-Based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) Program, and decided to have the Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (PIPLS) as their pilot site.

However, an assessment of the site revealed that there was a lot to be done. Being a protected area and a marine reserve, the management of PIPLS was under the purview of a multi-sectoral body known as the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), and it complicated administrative affairs for the project, the area also lacked infrastructure to support a tourism industry, and the community was not yet open to the project. These were among the considerations that CEZA had to note in crafting its CBST Program.

Solution and Impact

On 14 March 2006, CEZA proceeded with a number of activities to mobilize the program.

  1. A resource-based inventory (RBI) for PIPLS was conducted to obtain baseline information about the chosen site for tourism development.
  2. CEZA also communicated pertinent topics, such as the program’s Business Model and principles of ecotourism, with stakeholders and community members through a series of consultations and IEC activities. At first, stakeholders and members of the community did not appreciate the concepts introduced under the CBST Program, especially its “high value, low volume” principle. However, this challenge was eventually overcome through public discussions, consultations, information, and education campaigns.
  3. A tourism planning workshop was also undertaken with the participation of stakeholders from government entities, non-government organizations, academe representatives, civil society groups, private partners, island leaders and residents.
  4. A visioning exercise was also conducted to discuss the activities, goals and objectives of the Program and provide a clear view of what CEZA intends to do with the Program.
  5. CEZA also facilitated the identification of tourism products and services that could be produced at the site.
  6. CEZA also helped establish tourism infrastructures and facilities by organizing resource generation campaigns and applications for grants/financial assistance.

Along the way, CEZA has also adopted the Palaui Environmental Protectors Association (PEPA), which was originally formed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). PEPA is composed of residents who have been volunteering to be the caretakers of the PIPLS. Since their adoption, they have also extended their role in the tourism development of the island.

Since then, CEZA has also expanded the program’s tourism products and services through the creation of seven PEPA sub-groups, namely (1) Palaui Island Guides, (2) Palaui Reef Ranges,(3) Palaui Women’s Catering, (4) Palaui Island Spa, (5) Palaui Weavers Association, (6) Palaui Island Honey Hunters Marketing Cooperative, and (7) Palaui-San Vicente Motor Boat Association. These community-assisted organizations were also provided interventions for organizational development and strengthening, capacity-building, resource generation, marketing and promotions. CEZA has also partnered with public and private sector organizations, which all have contributed to the successful implementation of the program.

Milestones

The CBST Program now contributes to the environmental management of the CSEZFP and it has provided secure livelihoods for its residents. The community enterprises benefit by charging competitive prices in exchange for high-value tourism products and services. Since 2011, the income generated by PEPA and its sub-groups has already totaled over Php50 million. This could have been higher if not due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the success of the Program, it has been used to benchmark the 55 ecotourism enterprises in 22 sites of DENR-PAWB’s Integrated Coastal Resource ManagementProjects’ (ICRMP’s) ecotourism sites in the provinces of Cagayan, Davao Oriental, Cebu, Masbate, Siquijor, Zambales, Benguet, and the succeeding CBST initiatives of CEZA.

The CBST Program itself was also recognized many times. To name a few:

  1. PEPA was a two-time recipient of the prestigious Association of Southeast Asian Nationals (ASEAN) Community-Based Tourism Standard for 2017-2019 and 2019-2021.
  2. It was also awarded by DOT for its Outstanding Community-Based Tourism in March 2019.
  3. It was also a third-placer in the Para El Mar Award for its Outstanding National Integrated Protected Areas System – Marine Protected Areas in 2017, and a first-placer in the same category in 2019, obtaining a Php1 million cash prize.
  4. PEPA was also recognized as the Longest Running Federated Tourism Organization and ASEAN Awardee during the Regional Tourism Forum Awards Night in May 2022.
  5. During the Regional Tourism Forum and Awards Night in July 2022, CEZA was also recognized by DOT for its efforts to implement its programs, even at the middle of a pandemic.

Testimonials

The most rewarding and fulfilling remarks and actions on the tremendous success of the CBST Program come from the island residents themselves. They believe that the Program has empowered them through their active participation in the protection of their Island, and the availability of an alternative source of livelihood that they can count on. The satisfaction of the community beneficiaries is evident in the feedback they gave that rated the said Program with an “Excellent” adjectival rating.

Implementing Agency

City Government of Tuguegarao

Year Implemented

2018-Present

Themes

Digitization & New Technologies, Perspectives on Productivity, Governance, and Development

General Description

The Tuguegarao City Command Center is a monitoring center with a centralized communication system equipped with state-of-the-art ICT solutions and facilities that can respond to incidents and emergencies 24/7.

The Command Center is manned by the city’s Rescue Team and representatives from the Traffic Management Group, Public Safety and Security Office, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Background and Problem

Being the catch basin of waters surrounding the Cagayan Valley, Tuguegarao City is extremely prone to flood and is mapped as one of the most vulnerable to natural hazard-triggered disasters in the region (Philippine Information Agency, 2011). The Natural Hazards Risk Atlas 2015 also reports the city as second among the 10 most at-risk to natural hazards globally. On top of these issues, disseminating warnings and relaying calls for assistance in the area have been a persistent challenge given their lack of a centralized communication and emergency response system. To mitigate the risks, the city government established the Tuguegarao City Command Center in 2018.

Solution and Impact

Built under the leadership of Hon. Atty. Jefferson Pattaui, through Executive Order No. 28-2018, the Tuguegarao City Command Center was built to help ensure safety and emergency preparedness in the city, not only for natural hazard-triggered disasters but for accidents and man-made disasters as well. Among its services are police assistance, hospital care, fire suppression, and search-and-rescue services.

Specifically, the Command Center aims “to gather and process all information required to manage and control all types of incidents efficiently and effectively for the safety and protection of the communities and properties [through] communication and collaboration with the PNP, BFP, Rescue 1111, barangay officials, and other concerned agencies.”

To achieve this goal, the Command Center was built with a fiber optic-wide aerial network and its own hotline. It maintains 117 high-definition bullet-type PTZ (Pan, Tilt, and Z) closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed strategically in all 49 barangays of the city. The cameras are also equipped with facial recognition technology and night vision allowing for clear videos even in low light conditions. This feature also enables their staff to do round-the-clock monitoring of the city and access to recordings of all incidents.

Since its establishment in 2018, there has been a substantial increase in the number of calls. From the annually reported 3,123 calls received in 2018, it has increased to a total of 15,417 calls received in 2019. The 500% increase could be due to the residents’ growing confidence with the project.

Records also show an increase in the number of incidents responded to, from 6,628 in 2020 to 31,922 as of November 2021. Moreover, the systematic communication process of the command center has also decreased the response time to 3 minutes or even lower. Notably, the quickest recorded response time to date is 1 minute and 18 seconds—from calling the hotline to the touchdown of the responder in the incident area. These statistics can also indicate a growing efficiency and effectiveness to its implementation.

The Tuguegarao City Command Center continues to evolve and develop its services even during the pandemic and it ensures that its personnel complies with the protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.

The innovative Tuguegarao City Command Center has the following notable features:
Dispatch System

The Command Center utilizes a dashboard system that maintains records of incidents responded to, which also provides the footage and time response. Reports are classified according to type and are searchable by keywords for easier retrieval. Any related documents may be requested and accessed in less than a minute. The dashboard system caters to all kinds of incidents, including COVID-19 vaccination calls. Residents may also contact the City Command Center for COVID-19 and vaccination concerns.

Footage Request

The management of the control center also allows citizens to request access to available footage subject to existing data privacy laws. While clients, upon their request, are allowed to view CCTV footage for valid reasons, recording, and copying of the footage are not permitted. Before being allowed access, concerned parties are required to submit a blotter report for the request to be approved. Footages are stored in the CCTV room with restricted access even among command center personnel. The data captured by the CCTVs are automatically deleted after 30 days unless they are to be retained for legal purposes. The management of the Command Center strictly observes the delicate balance between public welfare and the right to privacy. With the provision of high definition footage, the center resolved various incidents such as recovery of lost items, resolving traffic accidents, and other criminal cases in the city.

Wifi Ko, Wifi Mo

Along with the development of the Command Center, the city administration managed to provide fast, reliable, and free internet access to the city residents. There are 101 access points installed in 57 locations, including schools, government offices, barangay halls, and other public spaces.

Live Traffic Update and Analysis

The distribution of the local internet connection around the city has also made live traffic updates easily accessible via Facebook and Messenger from 5:15 PM onwards. Moreover, the command center also utilizes intelligent video analytic software to monitor and manage pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the city’s main roads, intersections, entry and exit points, as well as populated areas such as government buildings, public markets, school zones, and church premises. And together with the live traffic advisory, this helps ease the city’s traffic situation, having reportedly reduced travel time by 50%, and it also enables those on the road to make informed decisions about their commute.

Flood monitoring

Through its high-definition CCTVs and 24/7 live monitoring, the Command Center also provides real-time water level alerts and updates of the Buntun Bridge and Pinacanauan Rivers to all barangay captains, the City Disaster Reduction and Management Office (CDRMO), and other concerned authorities in times of possible flooding. This function reduces property losses by timely operation of flood control and measures, especially in low-lying areas. In addition, real-time updates help avoid the spread of fake news; previously, in an incident where 45 out of 49 barangays were flooded, the Buntun Bridge was claimed to be no longer passable when in fact, it still was. But with the current communication system, the information delivered became accurate.

Tuguegarao City Online Checkpoint Registration

Online Checkpoint Registration (OCR) is a travel management tool designed to cater to travelers or visitors entering the city. Created at the surge of COVID-19 cases in the city, it was immediately used after the IATF announced the removal of checkpoints and mandatory 14-day quarantine nationwide. This system aims to contact-trace and monitor individuals entering the city’s vicinity. It is the first online system developed in the country and was implemented before the S-PASS was introduced. Details required in the form include one’s place of origin, barangay of destination, contact number, date of arrival, health declaration, and purpose of visit. In total, it has recorded 15,641 registrants since April 2021, including locals who went home to Tuguegarao City. Watermarked OCR receipts are sent via email after successfully filling out the form.

Contact Tracing Diagram Report

A contact tracing center was formed at the city Command Center as another initiative in response to the pandemic. The office came up with its own format of report featuring a contact tracing diagram that focuses on visual data of all possible cases and their close contacts. It also provides a shareable Google map showing all possible cases in the vicinity.

Milestones

Tuguegarao City recorded zero casualties when Typhoon Ompong happened in 2018 and after a flooding on 6 December 2019 that affected 56,387 people. The last onslaught of a mega-flood occurred in the city last November 2020. While it damaged several properties and affected more than a hundred thousand people, only two casualties were recorded.

On the other hand, reports showed a decrease in the crime rate from the monthly average of 42 in 2017 to 39 in 2019. Relatively, time response and solution efficiency increased from 47.27% (2017) to 79.92% (2019), to 86.05% (2020), and 90.48% as of December 2021.

In light of the successful implementation of its services, the Command Center has also been attributed in increasing the confidence of the city’s prospective investors. As a result, the city’s business and investment climate has since improved.

The Tuguegarao City Command Center championed the “Best in LGU Empowerment” (City Level) in the last 2020 Digital Governance Award (G2C). Similarly, “Wifi ko, Wifi mo” was also nationally recognized with its nomination for the “Best in Customer Empowerment Award” (City Level) in the same event.

“The Tuguegarao City Command Center has become a source of pride for the people. It was recognized as one of the city’s best practices, which the other neighboring cities are starting to emulate,” said Mr. Angelo Suyu, former head of the Command Center.

To further expand its services, the city government also plans to create a mobile command center to help ensure the delivery of services even to areas that are hardly reached by CCTV cameras and big events such as festivals. The said mobile command center is envisioned to become a bus, trailer, or van that will be used exactly like the main workspace. Likewise, it will be thoroughly equipped with industry-standard technology using GPS drone technology.

Sources

Banguilan, Jeanette; Buslig, Rhea-Lou; Lemmao, Aprilyn, (2018, February). The Compliance of Tuguegarao City in the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Law. International Journal of Advanced Research Management and Social Sciences, Vol. 7 No.2. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://garph.co.uk/IJARMSS/Feb2018/14.pdf.

Tuguegarao City Command Center. (2022, May 2) Live Traffic Updates [Video]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/tugueC5

Tuguegarao City Local Government. (2020, December 11). Digital Governance Award: Command Center [Video]. https://tuguegaraocity.gov.ph/

Tuguegarao City. (2022, April 21). Tuguegarao City [Video]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/1231460139/videos/pcb.2247889662030885/704361173936077

Philippine News Agency. (2020, 24 November). Local execs propose measures to lower Cagayan’s disaster risk. https://www.preventionweb.net/news/philippines-tuguegarao-city-organizes-disaster-management-council

Natural Hazards Risk Atlas. (2015, 4 March). Which cities are most exposed to natural hazards? https://www.maplecroft.com/insights/analysis/which-cities-are-most-exposed-to-natural-hazards/

Photos and Videos

Tuguegarao City Command Center monitors all areas of the city through its high-definition CCTV cameras.
Tuguegarao City Online Checkpoint Registration form is accessible online through https://bit.ly/TugueOCR.
Live traffic updates are available daily through the Tuguegarao City Command Center’s Facebook page.
The dashboard system by the command center provides access to necessary information related to incident reports.
Live monitoring footage of Tuguegarao City Command Center on one of its public markets that are publicly viewable through its Facebook page.
Hotline Directory of Tuguegarao City Command Center is provided through its Facebook page.

Organization

Pangasinan State University

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Strategy, Citizens / Customers

Year Implemented

July 2020

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

Due to the current pandemic, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) advised Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to adopt the flexible learning strategy. As a response, Pangasinan State University (PSU) administration partnered with local government units (LGUs) to establish PSU-LGU ICT Konek, a learning space with an internet connection to students of PSU within the locality could avail. This project was able to support around 1,000 students through the establishment of 37 centers distributed across 26 municipalities.

Background and Problem

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) released seven CHED-COVID advisories containing guidelines for effectively implementing the academic operations of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

In particular, CHED COVID Advisory No. 7, released on 24 May 2020, contained the instruction for all HEIs to adopt the flexible learning strategy in delivering instruction by ensuring appropriate (1) Facility Delivery System, (2) Faculty Complement, and (3) Student Support. Further, the guidelines also encouraged HEIs to maximize the use of technology to support teaching and learning. The advisory suggested actions such as the determination of the level of technology to be used for the delivery of programs based on the connectivity of the students, the establishment of a multi-media or learning resource center to provide support to faculty in the development of IT-enabled or IT mediated instructional materials, utilization or access of available open educational resources, and the utilization of a learning management system.

The City Government of Urdaneta providing the necessary space and internet connection needed by the students for the PSU-LGU ICT Konek.

Solution and Impact

Initially, they surveyed the students’ needs regarding adopting the flexible learning modality. Their survey showed that the majority of their students had problems with internet connectivity and the availability of gadgets.

As a response, the PSU administration came up with a proposal to partner with local government units (LGUs) in establishing a learning space with an internet connection to which students of PSU within the locality could avail. The project was later named PSU-LGU ICT Konek- a Bayanihan project co-implemented by the university and the LGUs, in response to the national government’s call to “Heal as One.”

With 37 ICT “Konek centers” in 26 municipalities, about a thousand students could use the learning spaces to attend to the requirements of flexible learning. The LGUs provided the project’s physical structure (learning space), while PSU provided the computers they pulled out from the computer laboratories of their different campuses. And PSU also provided the internet connection and maintenance of the Center. With the establishment of these learning spaces, students residing near the centers did not need to buy their gadgets or allot money to buy cell phone loads to participate in online learning.

Milestones

Per BOR Resolution Number 91, series 2020, the project PSU-LGU ICT Konek became an official project of the university. Through the campus extension coordinators, the university visited various municipalities and discussed the details of the project. Afterward, the Memoranda of Agreement were fortified to make the project an official joint project of both PSU and the LGUs.

Organization

Ifugao State University (IFSU) Ifugao Rice Terraces as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System Research and Development Center

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Strategy, Citizens / Customers

Year Implemented

July 2019-Present

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

In recent years, indigenous peoples in the Philippines have experienced discrimination in textbooks produced by the Department of Education. In particular, Ifugao youth are losing interest in continuing their cultures and traditions. So, through the collaboration of Ifugao State University (IFSU) with many local and international organizations, they initiated a program around creating learning materials for junior and senior high schools in Ifugao.

Background and Problem

In recent years, indigenous peoples in the Philippines have experienced discrimination in textbooks produced by the Department of Education. Specifically, there have been textbooks that depict indigenous people as backward, uncivilized, and uneducated. These types of content contribute to the long history of discrimination against indigenous peoples, not just in the Philippines but even across the globe.

Notably, research has also shown that the Ifugao youth, in particular, are losing interest in continuing their cultures and traditions, and this discrimination is just one of many factors contributing to this. It has been evident that most young Ifugaos prefer to move out from their communities and find work elsewhere. This exodus of young Ifugaos contributes to the degradation of the Ifugao heritage.

Solution and Impact

Through the collaboration of Ifugao State Universityhttps (IFSU), Department of Education-Ifugao (DepEd-Ifugao), Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMo), Gohang National High School in Banaue, Knowledge Holders under the Ifugao Indigenous Educators Training Program, the Center for Taiwan-Philippines Indigenous Knowledge and Local Knowledge and Sustainable Studies (CTPILS), a program was created.

One of the program’s components was about creating learning materials. So far, the program has developed and produced at least 40 contextualized indigenous learning materials for junior and senior high schools in Ifugao. These learning materials were locally developed and carefully crafted to contain appropriate content for Ifugao schools. In particular, the contextualized materials contain a range of learning topics; Ifugao biodiversity, rice terraces, music and dances, gender roles, and heritage sites.

These were also validated on different levels by indigenous knowledge holders, education supervisors, and curriculum experts, and they were also quality assured by the DepEd Ifugao. Notably, research has shown that contextualized indigenous learning materials are considered one of the more important platforms in promoting and conserving the rich indigenous knowledge, systems, and practices (IKSP) among school children.

As of writing, twelve of the contextualized learning materials are in the process of copyright with the National Library of the Philippines. Moreover, these materials are being used by teachers in delivering their “Alternative Delivery Mode” to introduce IKSP among the students. As per Senate Bill No.3220, alternative delivery mode refers to the nontraditional education program recognized by the DepED, which applies a flexible learning philosophy and a curricular delivery program that includes non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.

Milestones

  1. Development and Production of 40 Contextualized Learning Materials on:
    • Ifugao biodiversity
    • Music and dances
    • Ifugao values
    • Gender roles
    • Heritage sites
    • Ifugao traditions and practices
  2. Copyright of 12 Contextualized Learning Materials
  3. Upcoming 20 additional IKSP Learning Materials
  4. Continuing copyright of the learning materials
  5. Sharing of these learnings

Organization

Municipal Government of General Luna, Quezon

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Leadership, Strategy, Citizens/Customers

Year Implemented

April 2020 – present

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

Ang Ligtas Gutom program ng Pamahalaang Bayan ng General Luna ay may adhikaing serbisyo na may puso sa mga naapektuhang negosyo dulot ng banta ng COVID-19. Sa pamamagitan ng Pautang na May Puso, Pautang na Walang Tubo, patuloy ang pagtugon sa mga pangangailangan ng mamamayang Heneralunahin.

Background and Problem

Magmula ng magkaroon ng kinatatakutang pandemya dulot ng COVID-19 ay nagsimula rin ang Pamahalaang Bayan ng Heneral Luna sa pagbibigay ng naaangkop na programa, at isa na ang Ligtas Gutom Program na pagpapautang sa mga business establishments upang patuloy na maibigay sa mamamayan ang kanilang mga pangunahing pangangailangan.

Solution and Impact

Sa pamamagitan ng Ligtas Gutom Program – Pautang na May Puso, Pautang na Walang Tubo ng bayan ng General Luna sa Quezon ay patuloy ang mga business establishments upang matugunan mga pangunahing pangangailangan ng mga mamamayang Heneralunahin sa kabila ng pandemya. Hanggang sa kasalukuyan naman ay patuloy pa ring umiikot ang programang ito.

Milestone

The DILG Region IV-A CALABARZON has recognized the Ligtas Gutom Program as 1st Place in the first Sagisag ng Pag-Asa Awards.

Organization

National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Strategy, Citizens, Customers, Operations

Year Implemented

26 October 2020

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

The Online Housing Fair 2020 is the first online public housing fair conducted by a key shelter agency initiated by the Acquired Asset Division, Asset Management Department, and the Fund and Asset Management Group. This is a collaborative project with the Information Systems and Technical Support Division. Despite the varying community quarantine restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHMFC continued to deliver its service to the people and use information and communications technology to reach its clientele better.

Background and Problem

The corporation is conducting an annual housing fair to sell properties acquired through foreclosures. This initiative is intended to ensure the corporation’s assets are performing at an above-average collection efficiency rate. Before COVID-19, they conducted the housing fair face to face in the corporation’s head office or other venues. The community quarantine restrictions and health protocols hindered the corporation from conducting a housing fair.

Screenshot of the Online Housing Fair streamed on the NHMFC Facebook Page last 20 November 2020.

Solution and Impact

The Online Housing Fair 2020 changed the landscape of Key Shelter Agency housing fairs. At the onset of the pandemic, the housing fair team determined the migration of the event to be 100% online. With the full support of the Information Systems and Technical Support Division, they developed a fully automated housing fair program. This program covers the interactive listing of the acquired properties for sale, the registration of the participants, the submission of bids, and the automated selection of the most responsive bidder, up to the opening of the bids. The opening of bids was wrapped up twice faster than ever because bid results were generated electronically. The Online Housing Fair was interactive, contactless, seamless, and boundless nationwide. It greatly facilitated the fulfillment of NHMFC’s GCG Targets for CY 2020, specifically Strategic Measure #5–“Reduction of Non-performing Assets” and Strategic Measure #6 –“Percentage of Satisfied Individual Customers.”

The Online Housing Fair 2020 is instrumental in reducing nonperforming assets of the corporation and converting the same into performing loans that can now be eligible for asset pooling and securitization of mortgage receivables, consistent with its mandate. Moreover, the program generated a projected income of Php 12 million, contributing to income generation and reduction of nonperforming assets targets of the corporation. The Online Housing Fair 2020 also contributed to the increase in the monthly collections received by the Corporation and effectively increased the Collection Efficiency Rate (CER) performance. The generated fund under the program was channeled back to nance new housing loan receivables take-outs and help the corporation to increase the number of its mortgage receivables portfolio.

Milestones

The housing fair team was awarded a Special Recognition Award during the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) CY 2020. The corporation’s housing fairs will now be conducted online at least once a year and more frequently moving forward.

During the height of the pandemic last year, one of the sectors greatly impacted was real estate. Everyone is trying to keep funds as liquid as possible. The housing market was down because people were not ready to purchase a home amid uncertainties. Additionally, implementing the BayanihanHeal as One Act mandated all financial institutions to offer a moratorium and grace period in mortgage payments. At the same time, interest rates were forced to go down to support the economy’s viability. It was a blessing for NHMFC that people enjoyed the housing fair in the comforts and safety of their homes. Despite the uncertainties, 101 properties were sold, and 13 were paid in cash.

Organization

National Kidney and Transplant Institute

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Leadership, Citizens / Customers, Operations

Year Implemented

March 2020

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

As the COVID Crisis Management Team was mobilized, human resource concerns, alternative work arrangements, transportation, accommodation, logistics, supply management, procurement, etc., were also addressed. Medical and surgical practices were recalibrated in such a way that the activities were suspended at the outpatient department and limited admissions to only urgent and emergency renal cases. Subsequently, “telehealth” was employed, and surgical cases resumed. Control and containment of the transmission of the disease were paramount because it is the essence of protecting immunocompromised patients. The hospital specializes in renal diseases, not pneumonia which should be the domain of the lung specialty center, but then there were renal cases who developed pneumonia, and there were severe septic pneumonia cases who went into renal failure and needed hemodialysis and even hemoperfusion. When patients come to the hospital, the first course of action is to accommodate them and take care of them the best way.

Background and Problem

Part of controlling the spread of the disease is to protect the healthcare workers and the patients of the NKTI. Another is to contain the disease and not let it spread. However, there were not enough beds and space under the roof. When there were no COVID RT-PCR tests, the hospital relied more on a high index of suspicion. Unless proven otherwise, a patient with pulmonary symptoms was tagged as a “COVID” patient at the triage. Some waited in their cars. They sit side by side in wheelchairs and lie very near each other on the stretchers without physical distancing. Others cannot be attended to immediately when incoming moribund patients must be intubated. There was no vacancy in the intensive care unit (ICU). Watchers also conglomerate and, later, become infected. Likewise, healthcare workers (HCWs) also become infected.

During the early months, COVID referral centers were also congested and not well-equipped. Networking was not effective. The gate for cars going to the Emergency Room (ER)  had to be closed as patients also occupied the supposed drop-off areas near Gate 2. Whether on dialysis or not, renal and non-renal patients just kept on coming to the hospital. Patients should be cohorted before admission to a regular room. It was impossible to cohort them until the COVID swab tests and chest x-ray was administered and the results were released. “Congestion” can look like pneumonia when patients are under-dialyzed or have missed dialysis due to a lack of transportation during lockdowns. 

The hospital’s total bed capacity is 381, but it only has an implementing bed of 302 because of the conversions made to some patient rooms to donning and doffing areas and observance of physical distancing. The ER has only 30 beds, with an extension of 14 beds. With patients under investigation (PUI), patients under monitoring (PUM) averaging, and COVID positives with a running average of 130-140 a day, they had to find a way to put a roof on the field. The ER occupies an area of almost 250 square meters. In the vicinity of the ER is a covered tunnel that separates it from a commercial bank. Across the bank is the parking lot. These areas would soon be commandeered to become the “Tent Field.” Renal patients on dialysis are urgent and emergency cases who need insertion/creation of vascular access and “troubleshooting” of their clogged vascular access. They too had to be screened before any surgery. All patients should undergo COVID testing and chest x-ray. They cannot be done in a room, which is also being used by non-COVID patients, as cross-infection should be prevented.

The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) sets up a tent in April 2020 to serve as the receiving area for medical workers to screen possible COVID-19 patients. Photo courtesy of The STAR / Miguel de Guzman.

Solution and Impact

In front of the ER, from a mere triage, the “manger” expanded and built tents of different colors, sizes and heights. Most of these are donations. These resources were carefully managed to serve their purpose. Some donations were tents, electric fans, air-conditioner units, cot beds cushions, ventilators, and medical and surgical supplies. They built a “Tent Field Hospital” for COVID and retrofitted “Hotzones,” harnessing the art and science of engineering, the highlights of which included the provision for laminar airflow, negative pressure, elevated floorings, air-conditioning, installation of exhausts, electrical and water sewer lines, local area network, and oxygen supply.  The number of tents increased, rapidly occupying the tunnel, the parking lot, towards Gate 2, and almost encroaching East Avenue. There were tents for cohorting patients, pediatric patients, a makeshift ICU, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis stations, watchers, a radiology tent with an ultrasound and x-ray machine, and a satellite operating room. As part of the emergency response, the Eden field (formerly occupied by an illegal establishment), a modular COVID hemodialysis facility was built.

The second floor of the main hospital was retrofitted to modify air exchanges in preparation for more admitting patients. Four wings compose the main building: Units 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D, the 2B and the 2C extensions – comprising the 80-bed hot zone. In these areas, acrylic curtains were installed. 2A was occupied by patients with negative (-) RT-PCR but with pneumonia, suspicious of COVID. 2B to 2D were occupied by positive (+) RT-PCR patients with increasing severity of pneumonia. 2C was dedicated to isolation rooms for HCW, and 2B extension became a 4-station COVID dialysis room. In-patient dialysis stations were converted to outpatient COVID patients who free-standing dialysis centers refused. Four beds at the ICU were dedicated to critical COVID cases. During a COVID surge, the Gymnasium had to be converted into a  COVID ward consisting of 30 beds with strict observance of the required distancing.

Because of this extraordinary measure, more patients were managed optimally, physically, and medically. Even during the second surge, NKTI was well-armed. The COVID Manual, with its guidelines, underwent a second edition. The NKTI “Contingency Plan for COVID Surge” was crafted and will apply to any infectious disease.

Milestones

The NKTI management started creating the COVID Crisis Management Team and simultaneously modified the physical set-up of the hospital as early as March 2020. Controls were provided as regards the ingress and egress of persons in the hospital. Ancillary support services include free accommodation, meals, and transportation to healthcare workers. The main thrust of the NKTI management is to be resilient and not to suspend hospital operations since most NKTI patients are chronic and require lifetime treatment, e.g., patients under dialysis. A COVID RT-PCR was also built, eventually accredited by the DOH. A modular COVID HD was also built alongside facility conversions, such as patient units and the gymnasium.

Organization

National Kidney and Transplant Institute

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Leadership, Citizens / Customers, Operations

Year Implemented

July 2021

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

The NKTI COVID Modular Hemodialysis (HD) unit was established to address the shortage of HD centers in NCR capable of accommodating COVID confirmed End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) cases. The need for an HD facility for COVID-positive outpatients only was recognized. It was carefully planned to provide safe HD in an infection-controlled environment. It was designed with individual patient cubicles for HD, donning and doffing areas for personal protective equipment, shower rooms for staff, and separate entrance and exit areas. This became the 20-station NKTI COVID Modular HD Unit, built by the DPWH at no cost to the NKTI. This was part of the “whole government approach” in dealing with the pandemic’s challenges. The facility was inaugurated on May 5, 2021, the first in the country. This facility provided the breathing space for the main hospital’s HD Unit that went back to delivering urgent HD support for admitted and ER patients.

Background and Problem

With the COVID pandemic kickoff in March 2020, HD centers in the NCR saw a steady increase in the number of COVID cases and suspects among their prevalent dialysis patients. The inadequacy of the available personal protective equipment (PPEs), isolation rooms, proper air exchanges/ventilation in most HD centers; the uncertainty of the course and treatment of the disease early in the pandemic; and then, coupled later, with staff resignation (specific nurses) primarily due to fear and fatigue, led to the inability or refusal of these dialysis centers to accommodate their patients who became COVID suspects or confirmed cases. These patients missed their regular HD sessions, developed congestion and uremia and scouted far and wide for HD centers that temporarily accommodate them while battling SARSCOV2 lest they face mortality. Many of them found themselves knocking on the doors of the NKTI ER and NKTI HD Unit. These displaced non-NKTI ESKD patients who were eventually accommodated by NKTI significantly outnumbered NKTI’s regular HD patients.

The NKTI put up about 26 tents for its HD unit all over its Emergency Room parking areas and driveways to serve 100 covid suspects and confirmed patients while the hospital was retrofitting its wards to accept patients with this infectious virus while keeping the HCWs safe. There were 3 HD tents with about 19 HD machines and several portable reverse osmosis machines for water treatment. When the rainy season came, these tents were slowly dismantled, and patients were transferred to the main hospital. Patients requiring HD from the ER and hospital wards were all accommodated in the main hospital’s HD Unit. With the increase in COVID patients coming to the NKTI, the main hospital’s HD Unit became overwhelmed. HD treatment times were shortened to enable all patients to undergo HD on their scheduled date, with some patients experiencing delays of up to 24 hours. Additional temporary HD stations were placed on the hospital’s 3rd floor and another on the transplant floor to address this need. As patients recovered from COVID, they needed to have a negative COVID RT-PCR test before re-acceptance to their chronic HD facility for non-COVID patients. COVID-recovered patients needed up to 3 weeks of quarantine before returning to their HD facilities. The need for a separate facility to dialyze these patients.

The Department of Public Works and Highways has formally turned-over on last 5 May 2021 the first off-site modular hemodialysis facility completed at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI).

Solution and Impact

The permanent solution was building a separate HD facility for COVID patients. This would relieve the burden on the hospital’s main HD Unit in dialyzing COVID-recovering patients or those still in quarantine since their original HD facilities will not accept them. A separate HD facility for COVID patients would allow the main HD Unit to dialyze only critical patients admitted or at the ER rather than squeeze dialyzing even recovered outpatients. NKTI’s top management consulted with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to see if they could build this facility for the NKTI at the soonest possible time to address this urgent need. Both agencies agreed to assist the Institute, and NKTI allocated space for this facility. It took several weeks of planning with NKTI’s HD Leaders for the specifications of HD provision, discussions with the Infection and Prevention and Control Unit to ensure that the building specifications met the safety requirements for treating COVID patients, and meetings with the NKTI general services division.

The government-to-government mode of procurement under the COVID emergency allowed immediate construction of the facility. The NKTI went through the bidding process for the provision of HD services for one year, which was successfully awarded. On 5 May 2021, building turnover to NKTI was done by DPWH in simple rites at the facility attended by the Mayor of Quezon City, Secretaries of the Departments of Health, DPWH, and IATF. This project was another first for NKTI and the country, where a separate HD facility for COVID patients was built. Many hospitals were given additional HD machines for their COVID patients, but this is the first HD facility constructed for only COVID patients.

The NKTI COVID Modular HD unit has resulted in numerous benefits. An ideal facility with isolation rooms for every patient, adequate air exchanges and areas for donning and doffing for PPE, including shower areas for the staff, and separate entrance and exit areas in this 20-HD station facility was met with satisfied patients and HCWs. A separate adjacent dormitory was also built, and HCWs on regular duty at the COVID modular HD facility were provided rooms. COVID-recovering patients from all over NCR now have a facility of their own. No patient is left without a place to have this lifesaving treatment. The provision of dialysis has been NKTI’s core service, and no stone is left unturned for NKTI to deliver this promise to its patients with ESKD. This project was a very successful example of the government working together for the common purpose of serving the dialysis population.

Milestones

Efforts to completely and effectively cohort COVID suspects and confirmed cases eventually led to establishing the country’s biggest and most ideal dedicated outpatient COVID HD unit. This is the NKTI COVID Modular HD unit with its clearly defined COVID protocols. It has twenty (20) HD stations that can run a maximum of four (4) shifts per day. It can cater to a maximum of eighty (80) patients daily. This facility addressed the HD needs of many COVID ESKD patients in the NCR.

There were two parallel activities required to operate this facility:

  1. Construction of the HD facility via government-to-government procurement; and
  2. Procurement of the HD services for this facility for one year.

These activities were simultaneously done due to the immediate demand for a facility for the increasing number of COVID renal patients. The facility started its operations in July 2021.