DOH requests additional funds for SRA of 17,000 more health workers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) has requested additional funding for the special risk allowance (SRA) of around 17,000 more healthcare workers, its spokesperson said Friday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said this is on top of the P311 million already downloaded to DOH’s Centers for Health Development (CHDs) for the SRA of 20,208 healthcare workers.

“Aside from the P311 million, meron na po tayong bagong request sa DBM (Department of Budget and Management) kung saan may nakapagsumite na sa atin ng around 17,670 additional healthcare workers ng kanilang requirements,” Vergeire told an online media briefing. She did not mention, however, the amount being requested by the DOH for the additional beneficiaries.

(Aside from the P311 million, we have requested an additional budget from the DBM after 17,670 more healthcare workers submitted their requirements.)

“For those who will go beyond ‘yung deadline natin na August 26 sa pagsusumite ng requirements binibigyan pa po natin sila ng panahon maari pa po silang magbigay ng submissions sa kanilang facilities and ipapasa sa ating regional offices,” she added.

(For those who will go beyond the August 26 deadline of submitting the requirements, they are still given more time for submission to their facilities, which will then be forwarded to our regional offices.)

Frontliners at the Naga City Hospital. Image from Facebook / Naga City Hospital

Vergeire assured that the DOH is doing its best to provide the benefits of healthcare workers. She added that the DOH will continue to request for additional funding for the SRA if there will be more submissions of applications for the said benefit.

The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) earlier gave the DOH until August 31 to provide the health workers their “long overdue” benefits and allowances.

“With this deadline, we are all set to hold a series of protest actions this week as many among us got infected and succumbed to COVID-19 already without enjoying these much-deserved benefits,” AHW national president Robert Mendoza earlier said in a statement.

Vergeire, however, urged health workers to prioritize their patients.

“Nakikiusap lang po kami sa ating healthcare workers na sana po nakikita niyo rin na DOH is doing its best for us to provide for your benefits,” she said.

(We are pleading to health workers, please also see that the DOH is doing its best to provide for your benefits.)

“Sana ang isipin na lang po natin ngayon ay mga pasyente na nangangailangan ng serbisyo natin lahat. Kami po ay nandiyan para suportahan kayo. Bigyan niyo lang po kami ng kaunting panahon para makumpleto natin ito lahat,” she added.

(I hope we will just think of our patients who need our services. We are here to support you. Just give us time to complete the provision of benefits.)

On Saturday, President Rodrigo Duterte gave the DOH and DBM 10 days to use whatever money the government has and pay health workers who have yet to receive their benefits.

EDV