Bong Go urges DBM, DOH to hasten IRR for healthcare workers emergency benefits and allowance

Go who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, in an interview in Davao Oriental said the health workers are waiting for the said compensation especially those who risked their lives just to work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Maliit na bagay po ito na dapat ibigay sa mga namatay at nagkasakit dahil sa COVID-19 . Sila po ang ating frontliners, bigyan po natin sila ng importansya,” he said.

He said the IRR for 2022 and even in the past year compensation claims are still being finalized by DBM and DOH.

Go said it should be noted that under the law the president is authorized to exercise power that is necessary and properly be undertaken to implement a grant of COVID-19 benefits and allowances.

On April 27, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the law covering all healthcare and non-healthcare workers, regardless of employment status, during the COVID-19 or other public health emergencies that may be declared in the future, from the time of the declaration of the public health emergency until lifted by the President.

The law stated that health care and non-healthcare workers are referred to as individuals working in medical facilities and vaccination sites, as well as those involved in pandemic response efforts, outsourced personnel exposed to Covid-19, or other public health threats, and village health workers.

It said the government should grant qualified beneficiaries a health emergency allowance (HEA) for every month of service during a state of public health emergency.

The amount, according to the law, will be based on the risk exposure categorization.Those deployed in low risk areas will receive at least P3,000, those in minimum risk areas will get at least P6,000, and those in "high risk areas" will be given at least P9,000.

The law also stated the compensation for the frontliners who have contracted Covid-19 in the line of duty. A frontliner who will die due to the virus will get  P1 million which will be given to the heirs of the covered individuals.

For sickness, P100,000 will be given to the covered individuals with severe or critical cases, while P15,000 will be provided to those with mild or moderate cases.