Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 31) — The Department of Health cannot give COVID-19 special risk allowance at will and without legal basis, as the agency runs the risk of being flagged by the Commission on Audit, President Rodrigo Duterte maintained.
“Hindi ka basta basta maggasta, magbayad ka ng walang basis, ma-fa-flag ka na naman,” the President said in a taped address that aired on Tuesday.
[Translation: You cannot just pay without basis, as you are going to get flagged again.]
Duterte’s remark came amid complaints from health workers they have yet to receive their SRA and other benefits under the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act or Bayanihan 2,0. The DOH has sought more SRA funds to address delays in payments.
COA earlier flagged the release of benefits to health workers not mentioned in the Bayanihan 2, which specified that “those catering to or in contact with COVID-19 patients” shall get the SRA.
Duterte said the DOH is now asking Congress if a liberal interpretation can be applied to this SRA provision so all health workers can receive this special allowance.
The DOH earlier said it completed the disbursements of SRA funds to nearly 380,000 health workers before the Bayanihan 2 expired on June 30. The agency received additional SRA funds worth around P311 million for 20,000 unpaid health workers and requested more funding for 17,000 more. There are 1.8 million health workers in the country, according to DOH data.
