Health workers (artwork by Ed Lustan)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) will meet with the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Thursday to ensure enough funding for the special risk allowance (SRA) of health workers at the COVID-19 frontlines.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said this a week after President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants to increase the SRA of medical volunteers at the frontlines of the battle against the pandemic.
“We would love to. If they can give us the money right away, we would have given it yesterday. Tomorrow, we will meet with DOF and DBM to ensure that we will have sufficient funding for the allowances of our healthcare workers,” Duque said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay online forum.
Duque said the DOH has asked for a budget of P50 billion for the allowances of health workers under the General Appropriations Act but only P7.8 billion was placed in the program funds.
“That is why the balance is in the unprogrammed funds. It means that we will have to establish or determine with the Department of Finance and DBM where we can possibly source the remaining balance of about P43 billion to be able to give a one year’s worth of allowances on a monthly basis,” he added.