MANILA, Philippines — Senators are pushing for additional financial support for health workers, frontliners in the government’s fight to curb the deadly novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Sen. Richard Gordon said that the Senate body adopted his proposal to amend the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” to give P100,000 to private and public healthcare workers who were infected with the virus in line of duty.
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Families of healthcare workers who died due to the virus meanwhile will be given P1 million.
FINALLY! The Senate has adopted our amendments!
— Richard J. Gordon (@DickGordonDG) March 23, 2020
Kung kinaya ito ng ibang bansa, kaya rin natin. To the Filipino people – YES, WE CAN AND YES, WE WILL. Fight we must, win we must. #COVID19PH #PHWillWin #FightPH ???????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/NccaqC5RdR
The Senate past midnight of Tuesday adopted Senate 1148 or the “Bayanihan to Heal As One” authored by Senate President Tito Sotto III and Sen. Pia Cayetano.
The proposed measure would authorize President Rodrigo Duterte to undertake extraordinary measures to contain COVID-19 and mobilize at least P200 billion to help over 24 million mostly-poor families.
“Health workers are manning the frontlines of this battle, some have sadly lost their lives... We thank them, for their selfless and courageous services,” Cayetano said in her sponsorship speech.
‘Special risk allowance’
Senators also adopted a proposal to give a ‘special risk allowance’ to healthcare workers.
Sen. Grace Poe suggested the grant of a “special risk allowance” to healthcare workers, on top of the hazard pay they are mandated to receive as held by the law.
Poe stressed that the health professionals are “facing a different kind of hazard” that is deadly.
Under the Republic Act 7305 or the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, “public health workers...under state of calamity or emergency for the duration thereof which expose them to great danger, contagion...or perils to life as determined by the Secretary of Health...shall be compensated hazard allowances.”
The hazard allowance is equivalent to at least 25% of their monthly basic salary for public health workers with salary grade 19 and below, and 5% for those with salary grade 20 and above.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson said he supports Poe’s proposal, but moved to use a “different nomenclature,” pointing out that it may be against the law to give hazard pay twice.
The new coronavirus has infected 462 people and killed 33 in the Philippines. — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from Gaea Katreena Cabico