The Department of Health (DOH) is requesting an additional P27 billion for the provision of health emergency allowance (HEA) for medical workers.
DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that they are in communication with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and other government agencies regarding this matter.
“Just recently, nag-request po tayo ng (we requested) P27 billion from DBM,” said Vergeire on Tuesday, Nov. 15.
“We released the letter last Nov 8, para macover na natin yung (so that we can cover the) remaining months of the year na hindi pa po naco-cover (that have not yet been covered) for our health emergency allowance,” she added.
Health workers are entitled to receive HEA (previously known as One Covid Allowance) “for every month of service during the state of public health emergency based on the risk exposure,” as stated in Republic Act 11712 or the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act.
“Low risk” health workers will receive P3,000 per month; for those categorized as “medium risk” will receive P6,000, and P9,000 for those who have a “high-risk” exposure.
“Antayin lang po natin yung sagot ng DBM and of course yung issuance para maibigay din po natin sa ating mga healthcare workers yung mga benefits (Let's just wait for the DBM's response and of course the issuance so that we can give the benefits for our healthcare workers),” said Vergeire.
“Sana bago mag Pasko maibigay natin para masaya ang Pasko ng ating mga health workers (I hope we can give it before Christmas so that our health workers will have a merry Christmas),” she added.
As of October 2022, the DOH has received P11.5 billion for the HEAs of 1,617,660 health workers covering the period of January 2022 to June 2022.