MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said it would be “ideal” that a law first be crafted to expand the provision of special risk allowance (SRA) even to health workers who are not directly handling COVID-19 patients.
“The liberal interpretation cannot substitute for a legal basis… gustong gusto ko po talaga, gusto ko nang ibigay lahat ng pwedeng ibigay. Ang problema lang po talaga, baka naman — sigurado ako, mako-COA (Commission on Audit) kami,” Duque told the Senate blue ribbon committee.
“The position of the DOH executive committee is it will be best that there will be law a created allow for granting SRA to not just those who are directly in care of the patients or in direct contact but everyone in the facility owing to the high transmissibility of the Delta variant, everybody is at risk,” he added.
Duque stressed he supports the expansion of the granting of SRA but told senators that a law providing for this would be “ideal.”
“I have expressed my support for that and I’ve written the good chairman of the COA about the liberal interpretation of the provision of the law in the grant of SRA,” the health chief said.
“The record will show that I have strongly supported [this] and also the COA chairman has agreed that he will review and that is why I wrote him a letter,” he added.
During the blue ribbon committee’s first hearing last week, Duque said the DOH releases the SRA and the active hazard pay only to those in COVID-19 wards “as per the provision of the law.”
Duque was referring to the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2, which grants healthcare workers “catering to or in direct” contact with COVID-19 patients of such benefits.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Duque said he already asked the DOH’s technical advisory group of experts to prepare several inputs which Congress may consider in crafting a law for the expansion of the SRA provision.
‘Take the risk’
Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the blue ribbon committee, said he would be willing to file the proposed law in the Senate.
However, he said Duque should “take the risk” for the welfare of the country’s healthcare workers.
“I am willing to file that bill right away as an emergency measure,” Gordon said.
“Pero kung ako ikaw, I would take the risk, di ko naman nanakawin ‘yan, meron na ngang naka-flag na sainyo, I will take the risk,” he added.
“Based on what has been discussed here and the statements of COA, I’m holding on to the liberal interpretation… I advise you, take the risk, and I’m going to draft [the bill],” Gordon further said.