Guidelines for the minimum health and safety protocols during Lasallian project engagement during the pandemic

• Main Author: Escalante, Marichel A.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2021
• Subjects: Service learning—Philippines—Safety measures; College students—Health and hygiene—Philippines; Student Counseling and Personnel Services
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/11627
• Institution: De La Salle University

The mode of educational delivery at De La Salle University is online with face-to-face or in-person classes still suspended. This is in accordance with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) guidelines for the implementation of community quarantine in the Philippines (DOH, 2021). At the same time, social engagement activities of the University also remain virtual. The organizing, preparation, coordination, and implementation of social engagement projects in the community shall be the responsibility of the organizations, including the strict implementation of safety protocols during the pandemic. The succeeding protocols shall cover all activities with partner organizations and communities in line with the implementation of projects or activities that shall entail the gathering of several people. Among some of these are meetings, orientations, community pantry, repacking and distribution of goods and/or supplies, learning sessions, and other gatherings or assemblies as a result of the curricular or non-curricular engagements of the DLSU community with the different partners of the Center for Social Concern and Action (COSCA). It shall be the objective of the protocol to ensure that the minimum public health and safety standards currently being implemented in the country are strictly followed and implemented by COSCA partner organizations and communities as they implement Lasallian social engagement projects. The protocol outlines the different safety procedures to safeguard participants, project beneficiaries, and Area Coordinators from the threat of a possible spread of COVID-19 because of these gatherings or activities. Two online consultations were organized by the Partnership and Network Development Program (PNDP) last May 29 and June 21, 2021, to gather inputs from partner organizations. The General Community Quarantine Guidelines set by the Inter-agency Task Force For The Management Of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines (May 2021), and the World Health Organization's Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Mass gatherings Q & A (April 2020) were the materials that guided in the development of the protocol. A Filipino version had also been made available for the easy reference of partner communities. This protocol discusses the pre-during-post activity/event, or the planning, implementation, and post-activity phases of social engagement projects, may it be curricular or non-curricular engagements. Partner organizations are encouraged to use this document to guide them in their various humanitarian projects or community or organizational-related activities.