San Juan City will be providing its frontliner personnel with additional benefits as it acknowledges their invaluable service and sacrifices during the pandemic.
The local government announced Monday (Aug. 3) that medical frontliners from the City Health Office, San Juan Medical Center (SJMC), and the barangay health stations and centers will receive an additional P5,000 in cash assistance.
Non-medical frontline personnel from the Philippine National Police, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, City Hall and barangay employees, and other personnel will be receiving P3,000.
This financial assistance will be on top of the benefits they are currently receiving from the city government.
According to the local government, SJMC employees receive 14th-month pay, P2,000 monthly economic relief allowance, P3,750 quarterly subsistence allowance, P5,000 annual productivity enhancement incentive, P6,000 annual clothing allowance, and P500 per day hazard pay, among other additional benefits.
Temporary living quarters for frontliners
The local government also announced that the San Juan Elementary School will be converted into temporary living quarters for the medical staff of the city-run hospital.
This was to decongest the fully occupied staff quarters at the fifth floor of the old hospital building which was converted last March into temporary living quarters for its personnel.
“The additional living quarters for the hospital staff expected to provide added relief to the already tired employees who live far from the hospital and who fear bringing the virus to their families should they head home straight from work,” the local government said in a statement.
“The city government will be providing beds, free food, and free WiFi to those who will decide to stay in the living quarters,” it added.
San Juan City recently announced the hiring of more nurses for the SJMC to beef up the workforce of the city-run hospital and further improve its services.
The SJMC was converted into a COVID-19 facility to cater to both residents and non-residents.
City Hall on skeleton workforce
The San Juan city government also announced that City Hall has implemented a skeletal workforce schedule and work-from-home scheme for two weeks.
“This was designed to minimize exposure and provide enough time for employees to self-quarantine at home after their two-week skeletal workforce shift,” the local government said.
“Should symptoms develop during this time, they can be immediately isolated and treated, thereby avoiding contact with fellow employees and clients of the city government,” it added.