Health workers battling the coronavirus pandemic will be entitled to several benefits, such as special risk allowance, regular testing, life insurance and sickness benefits, under the Republic Act 11494 that was signed by President Duterte last Friday.
Also known as the "Bayanihan to Recover as One Act,” it allocates a P165.5 billion fund to enhance the government's coronavirus response as well as its economic recovery efforts.
According to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, the new law (Bayanihan 2 law) provides a "COVID-19 special risk allowance" for all public and private health workers. The allowance, which will be exempt from income tax, will be given for every month that they serve during the state of national emergency as declared by the President.
An "active hazard duty pay" will also be given to health workers serving in the front line during the health emergency.
Roque, in a televised press briefing, said all public and private health workers will likewise be provided with life insurance, accommodation, transportation, and meals during the state of national emergency regardless of the community quarantine status.
The new law also stated that public and private health workers will also be subjected to mandatory testing every 15 days to ensure their protection.
Roque said the government will continue to provide compensation to health workers who get infected with the coronavirus in the line of duty.
The Bayanihan law mandates P1 million compensation for the families of health workers who die from coronavirus. Health workers who contract a mild or moderate case of coronavirus will receive P15,000 while those with severe or critical case will get P100,000.
These benefits will have retroactive application for February 1, 2020 and will be exempted from applicable taxes. The compensation must be given to the beneficiaries not later than three months after the date of confinement or death.
The latest benefits for the health workers will be included in the P13.5 billion allocation for various health-related response in the Bayanihan 2. The funds will also be used for the emergency hiring of health workers and augmentation for the operations of Department of Health hospitals.
The Bayanihan 2 law also allocated P3 billon for the provision of personal protective equipment suits, face masks, shoe covers, face shields and goggles to public and private COVID-19 hospitals.
Around P4.5 billion will be used to build temporary isolation and quarantine facilities, field hospitals, dormitories for frontliners, as well as the expansion of government hospital capacity.
The President earlier pressed for the inclusion of more benefits to the health frontliners in the Bayanihan 2, recognizing their heroic contribution to the fight against pandemic.
Last August, the medical community appealed to the President to reimpose a tighter lockdown in Metro Manila after the healthcare system has been overwhelmed by rising cases of infections. The timeout plea of the doctors was granted by the President.