DOH eyes full distribution of healthcare workers’ COVID-19 allowance this year

The Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday it is targeting to complete this year the distribution of the delayed health emergency allowances (HEA) of healthcare workers who rendered services at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At a press conference, DOH spokesperson Undersecretary Enrique Tayag said that P46.4 billion worth of HEAs have already been released by the DOH, while P15.2 billion are yet to be disbursed.

“Umabot na sa P46.4 billion ang naipamahagi na ng Kagawaran ng Kalusugan at masaya kami at natanggap ito ng ating mga health workers na dapat tumanggap ng health emergency allowance,” he said.

(The Department of Health has already distributed P46.4 billion and we are happy that health workers who should receive the health emergency allowance have received it.)

Tayag explained that hospitals have to submit the documentary requirements for them to be able to receive their claims. He said Health Secretary Ted Herbosa had met with the private hospital unions to explain the situation.

In June, Herbosa said he would make sure that healthcare workers received their long overdue COVID-19 allowances.

According to Tayag, some private hospitals had received at least 5 months of HEAs, but this was still insufficient as the DOH was prioritizing the arrears from the past two years.

“Sapagkat wala na pong public health emergency, kung kailan po ‘yun inalis ay hanggang doon na lamang ang HEA. So ‘yun po ay makakasama sa ibibigay pa ng Kagawaran ng Kalusugan at tinataya, ayon sa aming mga kasama sa Kagawaran ng Kalusugan, ay bago magtapos ang taon ay kumpleto nang naibigay ito,” he added.

(The HEAs will be provided only until the time the public health emergency was lifted. So that will be added to what will be provided by the Department of Health, and we expect that all of it will be distributed before the year ends.)

He said the DOH will continuously coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on the matter.

Last July, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. lifted the State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines due to COVID-19 through Proclamation No. 297. — DVM, GMA Integrated News