The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has committed to settling all arrears of the Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) by the end of 2025.
In a statement, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said she is focused on resolving the outstanding HEA payments for healthcare workers.
“Our priority is you [healthcare workers]. The HEA is in the President's SONA (State of the Nation Address). Every time we meet, he reminds me of that. My promise is that by 2025, we will be able to pay that, Pangandaman said a recent Senate hearing.
The DBM has already provided a total of P91.28 billion to the Department of Health (DOH) for Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA), including all benefits for healthcare workers from 2021 to 2023.
Out that amount, P73.261 billion has been specifically designated for the HEA.
PHEBA encompasses benefits such as Special Risk Allowance (SRA), compensation for Covid-19-related illness and death, as well as additional support like meals, lodging, and transportation allowances for healthcare workers.
Pangandaman presented the DBM's plan to address the remaining P27.7 billion arrears for the HEA during the Senate hearing.
The plan, introduced during a recent technical budget hearing conducted by the DOH, involves the initial step of utilizing a P2.3 billion unprogrammed appropriations (UA) fund, which is dependent on the surplus revenue collection.
“We will queue this [under UA]. We are just waiting for the certification from the Bureau of Treasury on the excess revenue.” Pangandaman said, emphasizing the conditional nature of the UA.
Last year, an additional P7 billion, taken from the UA, was released for HEA.
The DBM will likewise look into the internal budget of DOH and identify possible realignment for the program.
Pangandaman also committed that the necessary resources to address the deficiencies in HEA would be prioritized in the drafting of the 2025 National Budget.