LOCAL government units can tap the 1,689 scholars who finished the Contact Tracing Training Program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

TESDA-National Capital Region, through the MuntiParLasTaPat (Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Taguig and Pateros) District Training and Assessment Center, launched the first Contact Tracing Level II Program on September 9, 2020.

Data from TESDA’s Regional Operations Management Office showed that Region II produced the highest number of graduates in 2020 with 581. NCR followed with 327 while Region I had 151.

The agency said that 140 graduates came from Cordillera Administrative Region, 106 from Region XI, 101 from Region IX, 69 from Region X, 67 from Region V, 49 from Region XII, 30 from Region VIII, 28 from Region III, 22 from Region IV-A and 18 from Region XIII.

Data also showed that 117 TESDA Technology Institutions nationwide have registered the Contact Tracing Level II course.

TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña encouraged local government units to tap the graduates as contact tracers in villages.

He also urged the LGUs to avail of the free contact tracing training program.

“The delivery of the training course on contact tracing still remains relevant. As you know, transmission of the coronavirus is yet to be fully contained here and anywhere else in the world,” Lapeña said.

“We need more people at the community level who are equipped with the right skills in tracing the close contacts of Covid19 positive individuals,” he added.

The training program was developed with the help of the Health Human Resources Development Bureau of the Department of Health and health experts. It runs for 15 days and uses blended learning modality.

Trainees for contact tracing must at least have 10 years basic education or hold Alternative Learning System certificate of completion with Grade 10 equivalent. They must also have basic communication skills.

Trainees get an allowance of P2,400 for the entire duration of the training.