On December 31 last year, Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization (WHO) of several cases of unusual pneumonia in Wuhan, a port of 11 million people in the central Hubei province. Eventually, it caused an outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus causing severe illness, which was subsequently named SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19. As of writing, there are 219,243 positive cases, and 8,967 of which died due to this virus, while 85,745 already recovered worldwide. On 30 January 2020, the Philippines reported its first case of COVID-19 in the country with a 38-year old female Chinese national. On March 7, the first local transmission of COVID-19 was confirmed.
With the increasing number of local COVID-19 cases, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte enacted Proclamation No. 922 declaring a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines on 8 March 2020. Since it was noted that there was a continues increase in the number affected on 16 March 2020, President Duterte enacted Proclamation No. 929 declaring a State of Calamity throughout the Philippines and in line with this, Hon. Maria Isabella Climaco, Mayor of Zamboanga City enacted Executive Order No. BC 533-2020 declaring an Enhanced Community Quarantine in Zamboanga City to help prevent the spread of the pandemic.
It is stated in EO No. BC 533-2020 that a work from home arrangement shall be implemented except for front-liners such as the health and medical personnel, PNP, AFP, media personnel, financial institutions, power/water/telecom utilities and other critical services.
Pursuant to Proclamation No. 929, E.O. No. BC 533-2020 and NNC Guidelines, the NNC RO 9 will adopt the Work from Home (WFH) arrangement for the period 20 March to 14 April 2020. In order that the staff will be guided with the WFH arrangement an emergency staff meeting was held presided by OIC-NPC Nimfa D. Ekong. During the meeting OIC-NPC Ekong presented and discussed the NNC Guidelines wherein all staff are required to submit their respective individual work plan to be consolidated as the unit work plan for the period 20 March to 14 April 2020 to ensure that NNC RO staff will still accomplish the things they need to do while working at the comfort of their homes. It was emphasized that WFH is just like going to the office and the working hours from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
The following were the agreements made during the meeting : RO staff will communicate through Facebook messenger and e-mail. It was also agreed that there will be a group video call everyday at 8:00 am and at 5:00 pm and anytime within the day as the need arises. OIC-NPC Ekong suggested that RO9 staff will wear t-shirt with NNC logo to set the mood for WFH. The staff are mandated to send a message at NNC RO9’s group chat before or at 8am to ensure that they will already start working at 8am and at 5pm they will submit through email the daily accomplishment report to OIC-NPC Ekong . NOII Tubigon is assigned to consolidate the weekly accomplishment report for review of OIC-NPC Ekong and for submission to NNC- Central Office.
NNC RO 9 ensures the safety of their staff and they are one with the Department of Health to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Despite all of this, NNC RO 9 still makes sure to render service to the public. They can be reach at:
Phone: 0917-165-5570 or 0966-392-0242
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Facebook: National Nutrition Council Region IX
Let’s all be safe, observe proper hygiene and may God bless us all!
AA VI Cielo Katrina M. Mabalot
