Healthcare workers’ benefits under ‘Bayanihan 2’ stay — Angara

Nurses prepare the holding area for COVID-19 patients at Ospital ng Parañaque along Quirino Avenue in Parañaque City. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES)

MANILA, Philippines — Benefits granted to healthcare frontliners under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or the “Bayanihan 2” will continue to be provided even after the law expires, Senator Sonny Angara said Tuesday.

In a statement, Angara, sponsor of the Bayanihan 2 measure, said it is “clear” in the law that medical frontliners will continue to receive the benefits granted under the measure so long as the state of national emergency declared by President Rodrigo Duterte remains in effect.

These benefits include compensation for those who contract COVID-19 while in the line of duty or have succumbed to the disease.

Under the law, health workers who fall ill due to COVID-19 while in the line of duty will each receive compensation amounting to P15,000 for mild cases and P100,000 for severe cases.

In case of death, the family of the health worker will receive P1 million.

“This provision has been present since Bayanihan 1 and should continue for as long as we are facing the COVID-19 pandemic because our frontline health workers are risking their lives daily to care for those who have been infected since day one,” Angara said.

 Sen. Sonny Angara,   (Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB)

“The intent of Congress is clear for the compensation to continue even after the expiration of Bayanihan 2 on June 30, 2021. This was agreed upon by both the Senate and the House of Representatives during our bicam meetings on the measure,” he added.

Other benefits specified under the Bayanihan law are the following:

• Monthly special risk allowance for all public and private health workers directly catering to or in contact with COVID-19 patients

• Actual hazard duty pay for all health workers serving in the front line

• Assumption of all medical expenses of public and private health workers in case of exposure to COVID-19 or any work-related injury or disease

• Life insurance, accommodation, transportation and meals to all public and private health workers.

“It is clear that our health workers should continue to receive these benefits for as long as we are facing the COVID-19 pandemic,” Angara pointed out.

“We urge the DOH and the other implementing agencies to continue facilitating the release of the funds intended for our brave health frontliners,” he added.

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