
The Department of Health (DOH) said that more than P14 billion have already been released for the provision of benefits for healthcare workers who are attending to those afflicted with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The DOH said that P14.3 billion worth of benefits for healthcare workers, both in public and private health facilities, “has been disbursed” covering the period of Sept. 15 to Dec. 19, 2020 (Period 1) and December 20, 2020 to June 30, 2021 (Period 2).
“Maliwanag sa amin ang sakripisyo ng mga medical frontliners (The sacrifices of the medical frontliners are clear to us)...They, like many others, put their lives at-risk every day in order to serve patients from all over the country and from all walks of life,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in a statement on Sunday, Sept. 5.
“Kaya sinisiguro namin na maibigay ang benepisyo sa pinakamaagang panahon, at ipaglalaban talaga namin ang budget para sa patuloy na pagkakaroon nitong mga benepisyo sa susunod na taon (This is why we make sure that the benefits are provided as soon as possible, and we will really be pushing for additional budget for the continued availability of these until next year),” he added.
For Period 1, the DOH stated that P6.4 billion has been disbursed for the active hazard duty pay for 384,159 healthcare workers and special risk allowance for 306,314 healthcare workers.
“For the meals, accommodation, and transportation (MAT) allowances, 103,096 healthcare workers received MAT worth P990.9 million,” it added.
For Period 2, the DOH said P6.9 billion “worth of SRA was disbursed for SRAs of 379,117 healthcare workers.”
Furthermore, 32,281 healthcare workers “were covered with life insurance worth P16 million,” it said.
The DOH also reported that P570 million worth of cheques “has also been released to 24,034 healthcare workers as COVID-19 sickness and death compensation.”
“As stated in the guidelines, the DOH through its Centers for Health Development (CHD) enters into a Memorandum of Understanding with health facilities to legally disburse these benefits,” the DOH said.
“The health facilities are then responsible for disbursing these to the employees and submitting a liquidation report thereafter,” it added.