Health workers. Artwork by Ed Lustan
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the release of P1.185 billion from the government’s contingent fund last year to cover the special risk allowance (SRA) of health workers who have yet to receive it.
Senator Bong Go disclosed this in a statement, further saying that the P1.185 billion will be charged against the 2021 Contingent Fund and used to pay the SRA of eligible health workers directly attending to or in contact with COVID-19 patients.
“Ang ating mga medical frontliners ay ang mga sundalo sa gyerang ito. Sila ang tinuturing nating bayani sa laban kontra COVID-19 [Our medical [Our medical frontliners are the soldiers in this war. They are considered our heroes against COVID-19],” said Go, a long-time aid of Duterte and chairman of the Senate health committee.
So far, more than 496,000 health workers have been given their SRA, the Department of Health (DOH) reported in a House hearing Tuesday, January 18.
The SRA provided has amounted to a total of nearly P8 billion, according to DOH Assistant Secretary Maylene Beltran.