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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Private hospitals hope settlement of P27-B unpaid health emergency allowance not just 'lip service'

Private hospitals hope settlement of P27-B unpaid health emergency allowance not just 'lip service'

Published Jul 5, 2024 05:11 am

The United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines (UPHUP) expressed hope that the Department of Health's (DOH) plan to settle unpaid health emergency allowance (HEA) is not just "lip service."

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In an interview with DZBB on Friday, July 5, UPHUP spokesperson Richie Ronald Ignacio said they were surprised by Health Secretary Ted Herbosa's announcement regarding the plan to settle the P27 billion this year.

"Kami man din po, welcome development po ‘yan sa amin, sa mga healthcare workers, kasi talagang ina-abangan na po 'yan, lalong-lalo na sa amin sa mga private hospitals (We also welcome this development, especially for us healthcare workers, as we have been waiting for this, particularly in private hospitals)," Ignacio said.

"We were surprised because during the Senate hearing on May 20, when we spoke with (Department of Budget and Management [DBM]) Secretary (Amenah) Pangandaman, she assured us that we would receive it next year, in 2025," he added in a mix of English and Filipino.

However, he emphasized that he does not want to be a "party pooper," but after all the pronouncements from the government agencies regarding the release of the HEA, they have learned to "take everything with a grain of salt."

Ignacio pointed out that in President Marcos' inaugural address in 2022, he said, "For nurses and healthcare workers, there will be changes starting tomorrow."

"But until now, we are still wondering where that tomorrow is," he said.

Healthcare workers are cautiously optimistic about the recent announcement of a P27 billion allocation, hoping that this is not just another "lip service" from government agencies.

He pointed out that this is especially relevant with the State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the approaching elections.

"That's what we fear that we, healthcare workers might just be given false hope again," he said.

"Those are our reservations, but of course, who wouldn't hope for such a large amount that all healthcare workers deserve who sacrificed during the pandemic?" he added.

In a special pre-SONA televised interview on July 3, Herbosa underscored that the government may be able to disburse P27 billion to settle unpaid Covid allowances for health workers across the country by the end of 2024.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/7/3/doh-hopes-to-settle-p27-b-unpaid-covid-19-allowances-this-year 

Meanwhile, in a Viber message to reporters on July 3, DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo emphasized that once the DBM releases the P27 billion Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) to the DOH, it will be immediately sub-allotted to the respective Centers for Health Development (CHD).

"The CHD will then facilitate the disbursement of HEA to the local government units and Private Health Facilities under their jurisdiction, subject to requirements such as liquidations from previous fund transfers and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)," Domingo said.

"The LGUs (local government units) and private hospitals will be in charge of finally giving the cash payment to the health workers," he added.

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