By Joenald Medina Rayos
LUCENA CITY – The Department of Health (DOH)-Region 4-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon area) issued a statement clarifying the social media post of a staff nurse of a private hospital here who received P681.82 as Special Risk Allowance (SRA).
According to Assistant Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco, based on the Certificate of Employment (COE) and Daily Time Records (DTR) of Mark Raven Dominguez, as validated by Mount Carmel Diocesan General Hospital where he was employed, he only reported physically for work in the hospital for three days last November and none for September, October, and December last year.
“The amount he received, which he posted on his social media page, is equivalent only to the three (3) days he reported for work, as shown in his validated daily time record,” she stated.
“Furthermore, Administrative Order No. 36, Series of 2020 authorizing the grant of SRA to private and public health workers only apply to health workers directly serving or in contact with COVID-19 patients. It is computed by the actual number of days a staff is physically reporting for work,” she said.
Sydiongco reiterated that the DOH Region 4-A has already downloaded the sum of P1,997,640.91 to the hospital last March 9 for the payment of SRAs of health workers based on their validated COEs and DTRs.
“We hope that this will enlighten the matter. And for future concerns, we advised our health workers to file their complaint directly to the regional office of the hospital concerned. As necessary, avoid posting issues and concerns publicly through social media as this will only cause conflict and anxiety to the public who have no knowledge of the issue at hand.”
“The Department of Health remains committed in addressing issues and concerns raised by our medical frontliners and ensures the adaption of policies for the protection, welfare, and benefit of all health care workers, especially during this pandemic,” Sydiongco said.
In a further post on Twitter, Dominguez clarified that the agency did follow the guidelines.
“Guys, may computation kasi ‘yan. Siguro dapat marevised ‘yung guidelines pero nasunod naman based sa computation,” he posted.
Dominguez appealed for fair computation of SRA among health workers in various departments.
“If the computed SRA ay based sa oras ng direct exposure sa COVID patients at hindi sa araw na nasa COVID-ready facilty ka to cater COVID patients, sana fair ang distribution ng special risk allowance sa iba’t ibang departments,” he said.
“Now that you know...kapag nahospital kayo (‘wag naman sana), treat them nicely. Hindi nyo sila nabili. Okay?” Dominguez appealed to the public.