Gov’t workers on duty to get hazard pay

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has approved the granting of hazard pay to government personnel who physically report for work during the enhanced community quarantine amid the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) threat.

Administrative Order No. 26 entitles employees of national government agencies, state universities and colleges and government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCC) to get a daily hazard pay of P500.

The directive will cover those occupying regular, contractual or casual positions, or are engaged in contract of service (COS), job order (JO) and other similar work schemes. It will be retroactively applied beginning March 17.

President Duterte signed the issuance on Monday, a copy of which was released to media.

“Government employees and workers engaged through COS or JO, whose services are urgently necessary and who physically report for work during the period of an enhanced community quarantine, are inevitably exposed to health risks and hazards,” the directive said.

Last week, the President imposed a Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine as the government’s main response to the COVID-19 threat that has gripped the country.

As a result, the government has suspended work in the public and private sector for the duration of the quarantine, and imposed travel restrictions in Luzon.

Whichever is higher

As of Monday, the Department of Health has recorded 462 cases of infections, with 33 deaths and 18 recoveries so far.

The hazard pay will be computed depending on the number of days the personnel physically reported for work during the monthlong quarantine.

They should have been authorized to physically report to their respective work stations.

On the other hand, personnel who are already entitled to hazard pay, hazardous duty pay, hazard allowance, etc. will be entitled to the COVID-19 hazard pay, whichever is higher.

This includes public health workers, public social workers, science and technology personnel, and military and uniformed personnel.

Lives on the line

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go “strongly pushed” for the granting of hazard pay to such government personnel.

“The President is making this presidential directive as his way of alleviating the present hazardous situation of these government workers who have placed their lives on the line in this battle against the coronavirus in the name of public service,” Panelo said in a statement.

He added the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Judiciary, the Office of the Ombudsman, and other constitutional offices may wish to grant hazard pay to their personnel in accordance with the directive.

As to employees in the legislative and judicial branches and other offices with fiscal autonomy, they may be also granted hazard pay not exceeding P500 a day.

The same arrangement will be observed for COVID-19 hazard pay for employees of local government units and local water districts who physically report for work during the quarantine period.

“Should there be insufficient funds to fully cover the COVID-19 hazard pay at the rate of P500 per day per person, a lower but uniform rate may be granted for all qualified personnel,” the directive said.

The hazard pay may be charged against the agencies’ personnel services allotments or maintenance and other operating expenses, or in the case of GOCCs, from their approved corporate operating budgets for 2020.

The Department of Budget and Management will be issuing supplemental guidelines in implementing the granting of COVID-19 hazard pay.