The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the government has allocated approximately P20 billion for the benefits and allowances of healthcare and non-healthcare professionals for next year.
The Marcos administration aims to sustain financial support to the health sector and has earmarked P19.96 billion for settling their benefits and allowances in 2024.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the allocated budget ensures that healthcare and non-healthcare workers will continue to receive due compensation, even with the lifting of the state of public health emergency due to Covid-19.
Under the FY 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA), P19.962 billion has been allotted for the purpose, including payment of arrears from FY 2020 and addressing future public health emergencies of national scale.
The allocated funds can be utilized in accordance with Republic Act (RA) No. 11712, RA No. 11469, and RA No. 11494.
Gov't allocates P20 B for health workers' benefits
For 2024
At a glance
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the government has set aside about P20 billion to cover the benefits and allowances of healthcare and non-healthcare professionals for next year.
In a statement on Thursday, Nov. 16, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said that the Marcos administration is committed to providing ongoing financial assistance to the healthcare sector.
As a result, Pangandaman said a total of P19.96 billion has been allocated specifically for the settlement of their benefits and allowances in 2024.
“As directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., we shall sustain our efforts in strengthening government healthcare services,” Pangandaman said.
“And this involves providing our healthcare workers— our heroes— with needed and continued support, including their allowances and compensation,” she added.
The allocated budget guarantees that both healthcare and non-healthcare workers in the country will continue to receive appropriate compensation, even with the lifting of the state of public health emergency nationwide.
Under the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA), a sum of P19.962 billion has been set aside for the sector’s benefits and allowances purpose.
This allocation covers the payment of outstanding dues from 2020 and can also be utilized for addressing any future declarations of public health emergencies of national magnitude.
This amount was already part of the 2023 Comprehensively Released Items of the Department of Health (DOH) per National Budget Circular No. 590.
Last Oct. 13, the DBM released an additional P4 billion to DOH, chargeable against Unprogrammed Appropriations for the same purpose. Said release is limited to the available amount certified by the Bureau of the Treasury.
According to the latest Financial Accountability Report submitted by the DOH, P20.983 billion has already been obligated as of Oct. 31, 2023, leaving an available balance of P3.318 billion.
Meanwhile, since 2021, the DBM has released a total of P64.169 billion to cover the payment of COVID-19 allowances and compensation of eligible healthcare and non-healthcare workers.
The said amount covers an estimated total of 4,359,140 health emergency allowances and compensation claims.