TACLOBAN CITY –– The municipal disaster risk reduction and management officers (MDRRMOs) of Northern Samar province have appealed to President Duterte to provide them with hazard pay and other “compensatory benefits” as they continue to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.
The 24 MDRRMOs of the province, in an open letter, addressed to President Duterte and coursed through Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, national chairperson of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, said they deserved additional benefits considering the danger they face every day amid the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“We, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers in the province of Northern Samar having been united by our common concerns and sentiments do hereby strongly appeal to your good office for the grant of hazard pay and other applicable compensatory benefits to DRRMO officers,” it said.
“It is unnecessary to enumerate every single hazard that we ever dealt … However, it is disheartening and demoralizing that despite our role as ‘cannon fodder’ to all types of hazards, note even Republic Act 10121 nor any other law or national issuance, provides for the grant of hazard pay or other similar compensatory benefits to us,” they added.
While they do not compete with other health workers, they said they felt neglected.
“What we are respectfully requesting is for the national government to provide us in the DRMM field with similar compensatory benefits (as other healthcare workers) since we are also exposed to the risks and hazards of COVID-19, at the expense of the safety of ourselves and our respective families.”