The country's health frontliners attending to coronavirus patients will continue to receive a special risk allowance from the government.
President Duterte has signed Administrative Order No. 42 authorizing the continued grant of COVID-19 Special Risk Allowance (SRA) to public and private health workers "catering to or in contact with COVID-19 patients" during the state of national emergency.
The special risk allowance not exceeding P5,000 per month to health frontliners was first approved by the President under AO 36 issued last year. The allowance, which was exempted from income tax, covered the period from September to December 2020.
Under the President's new order, the President authorized national government agencies, government-owned or -controlled corporations, and local government units to further grant the COVID-19 SRA subject to certain terms and conditions.
AO 42 amended the previous order to read that the grant of SRA will be pro-rated based on the number of days that the frontline health workers physically report for work in a month "reckoned from Sept. 15, 2020 until June 30, 2021."
All claims for the SRA payment must also be validated by the Department of Health.
"The continuing State of Public Health Emergency warrants the further grant of the COVID-19 SRA to recognize the heroic and invaluable contributions of our health workers throughout the country, who bravely and unselfishly risk their lives and health by being at the forefront of national efforts to respond to the pandemic," the new order read.
Funds needed for the implementation of AO 42 will be sourced from the P13.5 billion allocated for health-related responses in Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act.
"The additional funding necessary for the continued grant of the SRA until June 30, 2021 shall be charged against any appropriate funding source as authorized under RA No. 11494, the appropriations for which have been extended for release, obligation, and disbursement until June 30, 2021," the order read.
The President also directed the Department of Budget and Management to release the funds for the SRA payment based on existing budgeting and accounting rules.
The order, signed by the President on June 1, will take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or newspaper.