DOH eyes streamlining of process for releasing SRA

DOH Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire, FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday it is trying to streamline the process for providing special risk allowance (SRA) to health workers amid clamor on the delay of releasing the government benefits.

“There are delays and we recognize that fact and we are trying to streamline our processes,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart.

“But most of the delay also would come from the facilities complying (with) requirements, and then we give them back the documents and then this kind of process, so we are trying to streamline that thing,” she added.

Vergeire reiterated that the law states that only health workers catering to or in direct contact with COVID-19 patients are eligible to receive the SRA. She said health facilities are the ones that submit the list of qualified beneficiaries to DOH regional offices.

She noted, however, that the lists submitted by health offices are not immediately approved since they still have to be verified.

“They still need to submit requirements. There are documentary requirements that there should be proof that they have gone to work during these specific days that they are asking for this certain amount,” said Vergeire.

“The SRA which is P5,000, specific to the guidelines, should be pro-rated. It will depend on how many days you went to work and catered or cared for a COVID-19 patient,” she explained.

Vergeire explained that the budget is available for the SRA.

“Bottomline would be the money is there, we have downloaded it all, full. The problem would be the processes may be the issue because there would be some back and forth of documents and there are other requirements as well,” she said.

Vergeire assured that the DOH will discuss the SRA with health workers as some of them conduct protests to demand their benefits.

EDV