The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) urged the Department of Health (DOH) to hasten its review of its policies for the possible expansion of the Special Risk Allowance (SRA) coverage to include all health workers who served in hospitals and other health facilities during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica made the statement as many health workers are yet to receive their SRAs amid supposed budget constraints.

The SRA is a benefit granted to health workers and is separate from their hazard pay. It is equivalent to 25 percent of their monthly salary.

In a statement, Belgica pointed out that the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act stated that only health workers who were directly exposed to COVID-19 are entitled to the SRA. However, he said this is difficult to determine because anyone can get exposed to the deadly disease in hospitals and other health facilities.

"Huwag na po natin piliin ang mga bibigyan ng SRA dahil (Let us not pick those who will receive the SRA because) it is almost impossible to say who is a direct contact of a COVID-19 positive patient," he said.

According to Belgica, the DOH should no longer compute the health workers' SRA based on how many days they physically went to work and should instead grant them the maximum amount of P5,000 per month as this may have been a factor that caused the delay in the disbursement of the SRA.

"Hirap na hirap na po ang health workers natin na walang tigil sa pagtatrabaho ngayong pandemya (Our health workers are suffering as they continuously work during the pandemic)," he said.

"Sana ay padaliin na po natin ang proseso sa pagkuha nila ng kanilang mga benepisyo dahil marapat lamang na matanggap nila iyon (I hope we can speed up the process for them to get their benefits because they deserve it)," he added.

"We are in a volatile period in history. This is why we must continuously review our processes to ensure that we are delivering efficient service and implementing sound policies for the Filipino people," he continued.

Administrative Order No. 36, Series of 2021 states that the grant of the COVID-19 SRA will be pro-rated based on the number of days that health workers physically went to work.

In the DOH and the Department of Budget and Management's (DBM) Joint Circular No. 1, Series of 2021, it is said that public and private health workers may receive a monthly SRA not exceeding P5,000 per month.

In previous Senate hearings, Commission on Audit (COA) Chairman Michael Aguinaldo agreed to coordinate with the DOH and liberalize the eligibility of those entitled to receive the SRA so more health workers will be covered.

However, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that while he supports the initiative, it would be better for lawmakers to pass a measure on it to protect DOH from audit flags by COA, especially after COA noted in its 2020 annual report that the DOH paid P214 million to "unqualified" recipients.

ARTA has conducted meetings and hearings with the DOH, DBM, and groups of health workers to discuss ways to resolve the issue.

In one of these meetings, the DOH and DBM said they are continuously finding sources and ways to provide for the needed benefits of health workers.