FROM THE WARD Health workers at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital in Pampanga stage a “protest from the ward” as they joined the Alliance of Health Workers’ national day of protest on Wednesday demanding for the release of their benefits. —PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLIANCE OF HEALTH WORKERS
MANILA, Philippines — The P888 million budget that was released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will provide for the special risk allowance (SRA) of over 97,000 healthcare workers at the frontlines against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
DOH Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said they expect the release of the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) from the DBM on Monday.
“This will cover about 97,560 healthcare workers for the SRA,” she said during the Laging Handa public briefing.
Vergeire noted that the DOH earlier released P7 billion for the SRA of more than 300,000 health workers who are catering to COVID-19 patients. On top of this amount, the DBM later downloaded P311 million for around 20,000 health workers.
The P888 million was charged from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund and Unprogrammed Appropriations of the 2021 General Appropriations Act.
According to Vergeire, health facilities are still submitting the list of SRA beneficiaries to the agency’s regional offices.
Beneficiaries of the SRA will receive up to P5,000 per month on a prorated basis which will reflect the number of days that they reported for work that month.
The DOH has been requesting additional funds from the DBM for the release of risk allowances of more health workers, as frontliners slam the delay in the provision of said benefits during the pandemic.