Archives serve as the main institution that records and preserves important documents related to various social crises including the pandemic. They serve as repositories of stories, experiences, and human knowledge derived from the ability of individuals and institutions to develop an efficient response to address the challenges posed by the pandemic. From this, it is hoped that the collective memories that were gathered will be valuable sources and bases for writing research and history; crafting policies and laws; creating effective and relevant programs; and remembrance of hope and success.
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Archiving the Pandemic: Recording a Shared Humanity
The year 2020 would bring in new challenges the likes of which had not been experienced in recent memory. In the past, the trials inflicted on the Philippines by disasters, while devastating, were actually familiar. After all, storms, earthquakes occur every year. No one alive, however, could say that the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 was well-known territory.Practically everyone was caught unprepared by the global health crisis. While there had been epidemics before, the speed and strength with which the pandemic would spread could not have been predicted.
At the National Archives of the Philippines, the weeks after the first declaration of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) were filled with uncertainty. No one had ever gone through a lockdown before.
Little by little the Archives adjusted.
Nationally prescribed protocol was adapted to agency needs. Specific guidelines for NAP Operations and the handling of records in pandemic conditions were provided. Masks became everyday wear while disinfection of hands became a regular habit. In some cases, it was unavoidable that high-risk public activities were postponed or cancelled. Offices had to close as personnel were instructed to work from home. Public requests had to be serviced by phone or email.
Many NAP employees were already quite adept with social media and the many communication applications available. The Archives, however, had not used these channels on an agency-wide level. Much had still to be learned about virtual governance.
At first, message applications were preferred for organizational meetings since everyone was used to employing such applications for everyday inter-actions. Very soon it was time for moving into more advanced technologies like video-conferencing. Despite some initial apprehensions, the Archives’ employees became proficient in communicating through these enhanced platforms. Terms like “sharing” and “muted” took on novel meanings as everyone begun attending more virtual seminars.
It would be a short jump to actually migrating NAP programs to electronic and video-conferencing programs. Trainings were initially conducted on how to maximize the benefits of video conference technology. The Archives shifted to conducting virtual seminars and virtual technical assistance sessions.
The following public record/s and official record/s, whether internal or external in application, shall be eligible for inclusion in the PHILPRA Project, subject to such restrictions as may be provided by applicable laws, rules and regulations, and relevant
jurisprudence:
1. Memorandums, Orders, Letters of Instructions, and other issuances made in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
2. Policies and Guidelines on Minimum Health Protocols
3. Special Laws, such as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act
4. Local Government Unit (LGU) Ordinances
5. Official social media postings
6. Press releases
7. Community quarantine status announcements
8. Posters
9. 2020 Annual Reports
10. Newspaper clippings
The following criteria will be considered in identifying records for collection:
1. Nation/Region/LGU-wide in scope
2. Has high impact on the public – affecting the movement of the public, causing changes
in public life
3. Unprecedented – has set a new precedent
4. Innovative
5. Message/s of comfort and/or assurance
The records may be, but not limited to, the following:
1. Paper
2. Photographs
3. Video files
4. Audio recordings
B. Manner of Collection
1. The NAP shall partner with the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO)
for the issuance of a Joint Memorandum Circular regarding the PhilPRA Project.
2. Letters shall be sent to the identified government agencies regarding the Project.
Copies of these Guidelines and the records inventory form will be attached.
3. The identified agencies shall list their records in the form provided by NAP. The said
list shall be submitted to NAP for initial review.
4. NAP shall inform the concerned agency regarding the status of the records sent and
discuss arrangements for the transfer/acquisition of copies.
5. NAP shall initially receive digital copies of the records. The transfer of paper
records may be done later if needed.
6. The records will be transferred to NAP through the Records Center Division (RCD) and
shall undergo pre-archival appraisal and processing.
7. After pre-archival appraisal and processing RCD shall then transfer the records and
related documents to the custody of the Archives Collection and Access Division (ACAD)
to form part of the PhilPRA Collection.
C. Terms of Use
1. The PhilPRA Collection shall be made available to researchers and the public through the
NAP Reading Room.
2. The list of accessioned records for PhilPRA shall be published on the NAP website.
3. Restrictions imposed by the transferring agency on particular records shall be observed
until such time that the subject records are declared open access.
4. The NAP Reading Room procedures shall be observed when accessing the records.
