PGH employees demand delayed COVID benefits

MANILA, Philippines — COVID-19 benefits Employees of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) staged a protest along Taft Avenue yesterday to call on the government to release what they described as their much-delayed COVID-19 benefits.

Karen Mae Faurillo, president of the All UP Workers Union-Manila/PGH, denounced the government’s “callousness” in a statement.

These benefits, according to Faurillo, are outlined under Administrative Order (AO) 43, the One COVID allowance (OCA) and the health emergency allowance.

“These COVID-19 benefits were granted to us in recognition of our heroic and invaluable contribution as we bravely and unselfishly risked our lives and health by being at the forefront to respond to the pandemic,” she said.

In June 2021, then president Rodrigo Duterte signed AO 43 granting COVID-19 hazard pay at the rate of P500 per day to all government personnel who physically reported for work in areas under enhanced community quarantine and modified ECQ. This covers the period of March 27 to May 14, 2021.

PGH health workers said they are still awaiting the release of their OCA for April to June 2022.

The group said that special provisions of the DOH under the 2022 General Appropriations Act allocated P7.919 billion to fund the release of OCA to public and private healthcare workers and non-HCWs in health facilities involved in COVID-19 response.

The group also noted that Republic Act 11712 or the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act provides the grant of health emergency allowance to all HCWs and non-HCWs covering services rendered from July 1, 2021 until the state of national public health emergency is lifted.