MANILA, Philippines — Healthcare unions have urged Congress to continue the special compensation for those who seriously fall ill or die of COVID-19 in the line of work.
The Bayanihan 2 law provides that health workers will get P100,000 in case of severe illness from COVID-19 and P1 million in case of death.
The law will expire on June 30 and the compensation provision is not yet sure to be included in the proposed Bayanihan 3.
Willy Pulia, president of Alliance of Filipino Workers, urged the extension of granting the compensation or survivorship benefit to all health workers who die in the line of duty.
Manuel Payao, union president of UERM Memorial Medical Center Employees Union, said the P100,000 compensation and P1-million “safety net” for the family of a health worker who dies battling the disease were necessary due to surging COVID-19 cases.
Phoebe Acuril, union president of Capiz Emmanuel Hospital in Capiz City, said the benefits were “not equal to the care and concern given by health-care workers to their patients.”