The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released an additional budget for indigent patients and hospital workers amounting to P8 billion.
A notice of cash allocation with amounts of P2.43 billion and P5.55 billion was released to the Department of Health to provide medical assistance to indigent and financially incapacitated patients and public health emergency benefits and allowances (PHEBA) for healthcare and non-healthcare workers, respectively.
"As we have committed, we will continue to support programs that seek to uphold the welfare of our kababayans,” DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.
“The directive of President BongBong Marcos has been very clear since day one -- priority shall be given to healthcare. At kasama po diyan ang pagkalinga sa mga pasyente at mga manggagawa sa healthcare sector," she added.
The medical assistance will cover the hospitalization and medical support of indigent and financially incapacitated patients including but not limited to, in-patient, out-patient, comprehensive check-ups, and emergency services, as well as drugs, medicines, and professional fees, among others.
Those who are not able to pay or spend the necessary expenditures for their medical treatment may also receive medical assistance.
Meanwhile, PHEBA covers all healthcare workers' benefits, including health emergency allowance (HEA) and one COVID-19 allowance, special risk allowance, COVID-19 sickness and death compensation, and other benefits, such as meal, accommodation, and transportation allowance.
Pangandaman approved the issuance of the cash allocation on May 03.
The DBM so far has released over P91.28 billion for PHEBA in the years 2021 (P12.1 billion), 2022 (P28 billion), 2023 (P31.1 billion), and 2024 (P19.962 billion).
This year, a total of P18.96 billion has been allocated to cover the payment of HEA claims of eligible public and private healthcare and non-healthcare workers, leaving a balance of P14.88 billion for the implementation of the program.