Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 22)— The Department of Health (DOH) is set to roll out this year the One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA) program — a compensation system that would be “more inclusive” and would guarantee equitable distribution to pandemic frontliners, according to the agency.
In the Laging Handa briefing on Saturday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire explained that the OCA would be provided based on the risk classification of a health worker — either high risk, moderate risk, or low risk.
They are eligible to receive the following monthly allowance under the new system:
High risk: ₱9,000
Moderate risk: ₱6,000
Low risk: ₱3,000
The risk classification considers the type of facility where the health workers are assigned to, the work setting, and nature of work.
Hospital workers are categorized as high-risk, Vergeire said. Rural or regional health units and offices, on the other hand, may fall under the low-risk bracket.
The OCA shall also be pro-rated, the DOH added.
“Ito po ay ipapatupad natin para mas marami po tayong health care workers na mabigyan, maging mas rational din po ang ating pag-estima kung sino ang dapat makatanggap at kung ano iyong klase noong risk noong bawat health care worker,” Vergeire said.
[Translation: We are implementing this so can give the allowance to more health care workers, and that we can be more rational in estimating the allocations for the workers and their types of risks.]
Health workers have consistently called for the timely release of benefits allotted to them as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.
The Budget department on Friday said it has released ₱1.18 billion to serve as additional funds for their allowances.
