Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 31) – The Department of Health (DOH) is asking the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for more funds for healthcare workers who have yet to receive their COVID-19 response allowance.
“We have already requested since I think that was May or June from DBM for them to release funds to us,” Health Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said Wednesday.
“Hanggang sa ngayon we are still trying to haggle and negotiate with DBM, so at least makapag-release man lang kahit kaunti para makapagbigay tayo sa ating healthcare workers,” she added.
[Translation: We are still trying to haggle and negotiate with DBM, so at least we can release even a small amount to our healthcare workers.]
Vergeire also said they have already received a letter from the Philippine General Hospital asking for the release of the allowances.
“For the longest time since these benefits were mandated to be provided, nakapagbigay naman tayo sa Philippine General Hospital,” she explained in a press briefing. “Ang nangyari ngayon yung MOOE (Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses) natin sa national government through DOH ay naubos na at wala na tayong ma-issue pa.”
[Translation: For the longest time since these benefits were mandated to be provided, we have already released some to the Philippine General Hospital. What happened was that the MOOE of the national government through DOH ran out and we cannot issue more allowances because of that.]
Former president Rodrigo Duterte in April signed into law Republic Act 1172, or the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act. The law grants benefits and allowances for healthcare workers in the COVID-19 pandemic and future emergencies.
Last February, the DBM already released the partial ₱7.92 billion for the allowances of over 500,000 eligible public and private employees involved in the pandemic response.
