Duterte OKs allowance for gov’t workers who volunteered at swabbing facilities

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the grant of a P500 daily allowance for government workers who volunteered to work at the country’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) mega swabbing facilities.

On top of the P500 daily allowance, Duterte also approved a maximum of 25 percent of the worker’s monthly basic salary which shall be pro-rated based on the number of days that personnel is deployed in a swabbing facility during the quarantine period.

“In response to the call for volunteers, a number of government personnel have been enlisted to work in the mega swabbing facilities and other designated COVID-19 swabbing and test results processing facilities, where exposure to health risks is an occupational hazard,” Duterte said in Administrative Order No. 31 dated June 15 but made public Thursday.

Under the order, government personnel qualified for the COVID-19 duty allowance are those occupying regular, contractual, casual positions, or engaged through a contract of service and job orders.

The allowance applies retroactively, starting from the operations of swabbing and test results processing facilities.

Personnel already entitled to hazard pay will continue to receive such benefits, whichever is higher.

Further, volunteer government workers are also entitled to receive the allowance for the period they are required to undergo mandatory quarantine after their deployment in the swabbing facilities.

The four mega swabbing facilities are located at the Enderun Colleges in Taguig City, at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City, and at the Palacio de Maynila in Manila.

/MUF