Hospital chiefs ‘liable’ for any wrongful release of frontliners’ benefits — DOH

FRONTLINERS On duty health workers at the Santa Ana Hospital in Manila. EDWIN BACASMAS

MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Friday that the head of hospitals would be liable if there were any wrongful release of benefits promised to healthcare workers catering to COVID-19 patients.

“Yun pong mga hospital chiefs, may accountability yang mga ‘yan. In fact meron po silang COA (Commission on Audit). Ang COA mismo nila ang makakatukoy kung mali ang pagbibigay ng benepisyo na ‘yon, kulang ba o di ba sang ayon ngayon sa mga panuntunan,” Duque said in a House hearing on the Department of Health’s (DOH) use of pandemic funds.

(The hospital chiefs, have the accountability. In fact, they have their own COA. Their COA will be the one to determine if there are any wrongful release of benefits, was it not enough, or was it not released in accordance with our guidelines.)

“So, yang accountability na ‘yan kapag nakita na nagkamali sila, they’re liable. They can be issued notice of disallowance. In the end, they will be the ones to pay kung ano man ang natanggap at mali ang naibigay. Ang head chief of the hospital will be the accountable officer,” he added.

(So, the accountability, if it is seen that there is a wrongful release of benefits, they’re liable. They can be issued a notice of disallowance. In the end, they will be the ones to pay for any wrongful release. The head chief of the hospital will be the accountable officer.)

Before this, Ang Probinsyano Rep. Alfred delos Santos raised to DOH officials concerns of some medical frontliners, who reported that those in direct contact with COVID-19 patients have yet to receive their special risk allowance (SRA), while hospital staff who are just working in offices have already received theirs.

In response, DOH Assistant Secretary Maylene Beltran said it is the “primary responsibility” of the head of a health facility to create a master list of healthcare workers eligible for the SRA and other benefits.

“We are always guided by the law itself and various admin issuances with the DBM joint circular in terms of monitoring. We have their regional director who is working closely with the health facilities in each specific region,” Beltran added.

EDV