The University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman administration issued updated guidelines for the limited face-to-face classes (f2f) activities for the upcoming first semester of the academic year 2022–2023, starting on September 5, which was presented by the Crisis Management Committee during the ISKOnsultasyon last August 8.
FULL GUIDELINES: http://bitly.ws/toPj
Student health protocols
Students who will attend courses with an f2f component must secure a medical
clearance from the UP Health Services (UPHS) before the start of the semester/term.
Freshies and those admitted during AY 2020–2021 and AY 2021–2022, who will be participating in f2f classes, are also required to undergo a laboratory examination, consisting of Chest PA, Urinalysis, and complete blood count (CBC) in a medical laboratory of their choice.
Moreover, students who will attend f2f classes must also be fully vaccinated. The guidelines were adapted from CHED-DOH JMC 2021-004 which defined a fully vaccinated individual as “someone who is at least two weeks past having received the second dose of a two-dose vaccine or the first dose of a single-dose vaccine, or someone who received the recommended booster dose at least two weeks after.”
Those who are unvaccinated even due to medical reasons are still not allowed to attend f2f classes.
Additionally, health insurance will be required for some students in particular instances. Students with off-campus f2f class activities must at least have general insurance (e.g., medical, travel). Those who will enroll in any of the NSTP components are required to have health and accident insurance under Section 8 of RA 9163 (NSTP Law). Other students who will attend f2f classes are highly encouraged, but not required, to have PhilHealth or equivalent medical insurance.
Contingency plan
Every college must have a Student Health Liaison Officer (HeLO) or volunteer focal person who will manage the details of students, faculty-in-charge (FIC), and their f2f class activity schedules and report back to the Unit Post ECQ Team (PET), especially for suspected cases.
For on-campus indoor and outdoor class activities, should there be a COVID-19 outbreak, the contingency plan will be:
1. FICs/staff who develop symptoms should be immediately isolated and brought to a separate, well-ventilated room, or a designated holding area until medical help arrives. The health liaison officer or any member of PET shall assist the staff in seeking immediate care by calling the UPHS Emergency Room or the UP Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT).
2. Students who develop symptoms should inform the faculty adviser/FIC and SHeLO, or may go directly to the UPHS for consultation if the faculty adviser/FIC and SHeLO are not available.
3. The faculty adviser/FIC must report to the UPHS-Public Health Unit (PHU) if there is a suspected COVID-19 case among students, who shall then be brought to the UPHS for assessment. If the student’s COVID test result is positive and the symptoms are mild, the student will be referred to a facility for isolation and monitoring. If the symptoms are severe, the student will be referred to tertiary hospitals. In the absence of transportation, the student may call the UPHS at local 111 or 112 to request ambulance assistance inside the campus. If a student may have been in close contact with a confirmed positive individual, the student may consult with the UPHS for assessment.
4. The faculty adviser/FIC/SHeLO shall inform the unit head and the PET to initiate
contact tracing with the UHS-PHU, proceed with decontamination procedures in the
building, and contact the student’s parent/guardian.
For off-campus indoor and outdoor class activities, should there be a COVID-19 outbreak, the contingency plan will be:
1. In case a student/FIC experiences COVID-19 symptoms or if there is/are COVID-19 case/s in the location, the latest DOH guidelines, the CMC-approved health and safety protocols, and a contingency plan for the off-campus activity must be implemented.
2. Necessary coordination with the concerned local government unit (LGU), unit head, PET, and UPHS-Public Health Unit (PHU) must be made.
3. Students who develop symptoms should inform the faculty adviser/FIC and SHeLO. The faculty adviser/FIC must ensure that the parents/guardians are properly informed.
Dormitories and lodging of students
Students who want to stay at any UP Diliman dormitories for the duration of their f2f activities may apply for accommodation starting August 22 until August 26.
READ: http://bitly.ws/toNy
Students who wish to reside at UP Diliman residence halls are encouraged to read the new-normal guidelines to be followed once living in the dormitories.
Those who plan to stay in a non-UPD dormitory/lodging area are encouraged to make a self-assessment of their compliance with the minimum health and safety protocols of the place they are considering staying. Students may accomplish Appendix A and Appendix B for self-assessment.
On-campus travel guidelines
Before going to UP Diliman, students must secure a medical clearance from the UPHS. To do so, students must prepare the following:
1. Mental Health Screening Tool, except for freshies
3. Pre-enrollment Health Assessment (PEHA), only for freshies
4. Medical certificate only for students with pre-existing conditions as expounded earlier
5. Laboratory examination only for freshies and those admitted during AY 2020–2021 and AY 2021–2022 as expounded earlier
Applicable requirements must be emailed to uhs.updiliman@up.edu.ph with the subject line “For F2F medical clearance_[Surname]”.
Note that on the same day that the requirements are emailed, students must have a consultation with a UPHS doctor.
Accordingly, to avoid delays in securing a consultation schedule, students must set a telemed appointment with the UPHS, via its online appointment portal or by calling 8981-8500 loc 2702 during office hours, before emailing the required documents.
During the scheduled appointment, the UPHS will verify the completeness of the submitted documents and will advise the student in case additional requirements need to be submitted.
Once the students acquired their medical clearance from the UPHS, students must submit a copy to their FIC.
To prevent delay, students are encouraged to secure medical clearance from the UPHS as early as possible, preferably one to two months before the scheduled f2f on-campus activity.
No student left behind
The UP community has consistently clamored against the administration’s manifest lack of urgency in the immediate release of final and adequate guidelines, considering the number of requirements, time constraints, and other technical issues inclusive of the lack of slots in the CRS, if a student will be offered a course with an f2f component after the ongoing rounds of pre-enlistments also this August—classes, will officially begin on September 5.
READ: http://bitly.ws/toPr
Suitably, the UP Diliman University Student Council (UPD USC) sent a letter to the Office of the University Registrar last August 12, Friday, requesting to suspend the deadline for the submission of medical certificates as a requirement for admission to f2f activities. Additionally, the letter also requests that CRS credentials be provided to the shiftees in time for the registration period.
UPD USC is also calling on the administration to uphold academic ease policies for a smooth transition to normalcy.
Although there has been no official memorandum released on academic policies, it was mentioned on ISKOnsultasyon last August 8 that the 15-unit minimum will be restored despite the lack of enough General Education (GE) slots.
Nevertheless, UPD USC stands firm, “The current situation of the UP Community is no better than the sudden adjustments in the first months of the pandemic. Consequently, we call on the UP Administration to heed the demands of every Iskolar ng Bayan.”
Several organizations and formations have called for a more inclusive and consultative planning process in ensuring the safe return to the campus, in special consideration of the financial and logistic constraints the rushed plans have posed on the students, faculty, and their families.
Likewise, guidelines for the blended learning mode are demanded to adopt raised calls and suggestions to foster a genuine #LigtasNaBalikEskwela.
Featured image courtesy of The Urban Roamer
