Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday August 18 demanded a breakdown of the P11.98 billion that the Department of Health (DOH) failed to obligate for health workers as discovered by the Commission on Audit (COA).

During a hybrid public hearing by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, Marcos said this failure by DOH to obligate the funds for the special risk allowances (SRA) and hazard pay for health workers is ‘’very alarming.’’

Senator Francis Pangilinan, who acted as temporary committee chairman, asked the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and DOH for a breakdown of the P11.98 billion in the next committee hearing.

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III told the Senate his department would comply.

Whether the Senate would wait for the next budget hearing to resolve the issue, Senator Risa Hontiveros said that health workers, out of desperation, threatened to go on a mass walkout because they have ‘’distorted lives.’’

Marcos said the funds that supposedly ‘’expired’’ based on Bayanihan 2 could still be used until the end of 2021 and not in June this year.

Senator Juan Edgardo ‘’Sonny’’ M. Angara, chairman of the Senate Finance committee, sided with Marcos by saying that: ‘’The Bayanihan 2 Law, although the majority of the provisions have lapsed as of June 30, but the provision on health benefits to our health workers specifically states that it shall subsist or pwede pa ring ibigay yun so long as yung (it could still be given so long as there is) national emergency as declared by the President is enforced.’’

‘’So, I think that’s an important point that as long the national emergency is there, and it’s not been withdrawn by the President, then there is legal basis under Bayanihan 2 to give those benefits, Mr. President,’’ he said during the committee hearing.

‘The problem identified by our colleagues as to funding source, subsist and yung savings puwede yun i-realign po (the savings could still be realigned) from other sources. I just wanted to add to the discussion, Mr. Chairman,’’ he added.

===3-0===