Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 6) — The Department of Health is looking for more sources of funds to add to the ₱72-billion budget for the COVID-19 allowance of 805,000 healthcare workers.
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“We will have a meeting with the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) this week so that we can be able to further forecast and be able to identify sources of fund for these lacking funds for our healthcare workers’ benefits,” DOH officer-in-charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Monday.
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Vergeire admitted that the current allocation is not enough to cover all health workers, especially because the DOH still has unpaid allowances from 2021 and 2022.
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She also said the DOH hopes to complete the distribution of payments as soon as possible, but this will still depend on processes on the ground.
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To make sure there will be no more delays, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman has recommended reforms in the processing of payments, removing the memorandums of agreement, and having a centrally managed disbursement of funds, Vergeire said.
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She added the meeting of DOH and DBM officials this week will iron out details of the distribution process.
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She also said distribution will continue as long as the public health emergency is in effect, as instructed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
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Former president Rodrigo Duterte in April 2022 signed into law the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act. The law grants benefits and allowances to health workers for their service during the COVID-19 pandemic and future emergencies.
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