Health workers to get P62 billion unpaid allowance by 2026 – Herbosa

MANILA, Philippines — All P62.9 billion unpaid Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) for health workers who served during the Covid-19 pandemic will be given by 2026 or earlier.

This projection was stated by Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa on Tuesday.

Herbosa gave the schedule during the deliberation of Committee on Appointments on his appointment as secretary of Department of Health (DOH).

He was asked by Senator Risa Hontiveros if DOH plans to pay all the unpaid HEA within three years.

“Yes, Madam Chair. Or shorter, hopefully,” Herbosa responded.

Asked if the timetable can still be shortened, the health chief said it is possible, provided that the requested budget allocation of the department will be granted.

“Kasi kung unprogrammed funds, basta may taxes [na] ma-collect ang national government, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) can release us this money,” the secretary pointed out.

(Because if unprogrammed funds, so long as national government is able to collect taxes, DBM can release us this money.)

“So, we’re hoping that there will be more taxes paid,” he said.

“Kasi sabi nila, kaunti ang na-collect noong 2021 [to] 2022 and that’s the reason hindi nila mabigay lahat,” the Secretary recalled.

(Because they said, only a little was collected in 2021 [to] 2022 and that’s the reason they can’t give everything.)

“But if our growth rate is high, I think, there will be money to actually release it earlier,” he said.

For 2023 General Appropriations Act, Herbosa said they have allotted P19.7 billion programmed and P52 billion unprogrammed funds.

Only P4 billion of the P52 billion unprogrammed funds have been released.

The health chief said eight million health workers have received the payments.