‘Mayors, barangay officials pocketed health workers’ COVID pay’

MANILA, Philippines — Some mayors and barangay officials pocketed money allocated for health care workers who served during the COVID-19 pandemic, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) told the Senate.

During yesterday’s joint public hearing of the Senate health and finance committees presided over by Sen. Bong Go, DOH Undersecretary Achilles Bravo bared reports of health workers who were made to sign acknowledgement receipts of full health emergency allowance (HEA) when they received a mere fraction of it.

“We have also received informal complaints that the HEAs received by the local governments, like for example P50,000 received by the beneficiary. The mayor only gave P30,000 to P40,000. The remaining P10,000 was pocketed. So we told them to file a written protest or complaint to us so we can fully investigate this matter,” Bravo added.

“For example, if I am the beneficiary of P50,000, I signed P50,000 but the actual amount I received is only P30,000,” he said.

Go said the DOH should investigate the alleged anomaly, “since you are the one who released the funds (and) … sent (the amount) to the regional offices.”

The health officials said they have issued an advisory on the matter. 

Bravo added that there was also an informal report that some mayors refused to release the funds for HEA as they wanted to also give police officers and personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology who also served during the pandemic their share.

Bravo said police and jail officers were not entitled to receive an allowance allocated only for health workers, as provided for under the law.

Meanwhile, the DOH has reportedly released P27 billion for health care workers. The DOH received an appeal from health workers for HEA worth P5.3 billion.

The DOH is seeking to convince the Department of Budget and Management to include the P5.3 billion in their unprogrammed appropriation, which Congress may authorize but actual implementation will depend on availability of government funds.