P1.04 billion released for health workers’ allowance

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P1.04 billion in COVID allowance for over 55,000 health care workers in the country.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman approved the release of P1.04 billion to the Department of Health (DOH) to cover for the special risk allowance (SRA) of eligible public and private health workers involved in COVID response.

The budget will benefit 55,211 health workers who will receive P5,000 each for every month of service they rendered during the height of the pandemic period or state of national emergency.

The release of the funds, which is provided under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, brought to P11.86 billion the total disbursed allotment for SRA.

An administrative order also authorized the grant of SRA to health workers who looked after COVID patients during the state of national emergency issued in November 2020.

The state of national emergency was extended until June 2021.

Qualified health workers are medical, allied medical and other personnel assigned in hospitals and health care facilities and who are directly catering to or in contact with COVID patients or those under investigation and monitoring.?Workers deployed in low risk areas will received at least P3,000. Those in medium risk areas will receive a minimum of P6,000; those in high risk areas will get at least P9,000.

The allowance of health care workers (HCWs) will be downloaded to different health facilities starting next week, according to DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire.

“By next week, we can start distributing and disbursing to our different health facilities so it can be given to our HCWs,” Vergeire said, noting the P1.04 billion will be used for the backpay of the HCWs, specifically for their SRA. – Rhodina Villanueva