Duque assures Duterte health workers' SRA given in 10-day time frame

Health Chief Francisco Duque III on Tuesday assured President Rodrigo Duterte that the special risk allowance and compensation for health workers will be distributed until Aug. 31.

Duterte on Friday directed the Department of Health and Department of Budget and Management to render the allowances and other COVID-19 benefits for medical workers within 10 days.

"Within your prescribed deadline of 10 days, DBM will release the SARO (Special Allotment Release Order) tomorrow. We've been following it up to them and also the contingent fund... We are committed to deliver it in the said time frame you indicated," Duque told Duterte in a briefing.

Several health workers' groups lamented that they have yet to receive their allowances and benefits amid the pandemic.

Some groups also threatened to stage mass protests if the benefits would still not be distributed within the period. —NB, GMA News