THE Department of Health (DoH) said Friday it would promptly allocate the P27-billion Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) to its respective Centers for Health Development (CHDs) upon receipt of the funds from the Budget Department.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman announced on Thursday the early release of funds in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to settle all outstanding Hazard Pay Enhancement Allowance (HEA) for health care workers.
“The CHD will then facilitate the disbursement of HEA to the local government units and Private Health Facilities under their jurisdiction, subject to requirements, such as liquidations, from previous fund transfers and memorandum of agreement,” DoH said.
According to the DoH, the local government unit and private hospitals will then be responsible for disbursing the cash payments to the health workers.
In an interview on DWPM Radyo630 on Thursday, DoH spokesman Albert Domingo promised that all health workers would receive the allowance.
In May, the DoH officially requested a SARO and Notice of Cash Allocation amounting to P27.453 billion.
The allocation covers payments for 5,039,926 validated unpaid HEA claims and 4,283 Covid-19 sickness and death compensation claims for eligible health care and non-health care workers.
Both amounts were presented to the Senate during a hearing on May 20 and proposed by DoH for inclusion in their FY 2025 National Expenditure Program, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
DBM has already disbursed P91.283 billion to DoH for the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances, covering all benefits for health care workers from 2021 to 2023. Of this amount, P73.261 billion is designated explicitly for HEA, the DBM said.
“This is a promise fulfilled. Even though DoH initially requested this for 2025, DBM endeavored to fulfill it earlier because our health care workers deserve this,” Pangandaman said in Filipino.
HEA release timing questioned
But the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) questioned the timing of the release on Friday of the P27 billion worth of unpaid emergency allowances to all health workers.
In a statement, AHW National President Robert Mendoza thought the release is “timely” to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) later this month.
“Why is it only now? If there was funding available all along. … The timing of the release of the long-overdue benefits is very timely for the SONA because the administration just wants to showcase his accomplishments rather than address the urgent needs of health workers,” Mendoza said.
“We hope that all health workers in private and LGU hospitals and health facilities will be fully paid of their much-deserved HEA because, during our dialogue with DBM Secretary Pangandaman last April 11, 2024, the DoH had not yet complied with the final lists and mapping of paid and unpaid health workers of their Covid-19 allowances,” he added.
However, the health workers’ group said the release of their HEA is a “victory for our health workers who have been at the forefront of the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“More so, the delayed release of Covid-19 benefits, low wages, severe understaffing and job insecurity are the major factors why many from our ranks file an early retirement, resign and seek better opportunities abroad. Worst, some died without receiving the much-deserved Health Emergency Allowance,” said AHW secretary-general, registered nurse Cristy Donguines.
Moreover, the AHW said that it was their “strong unity, collective action and continuous and tireless insistence” that pushed the DoH, DBM and Marcos administration to release the allowances.
On July 22, the group will join a “People’s SONA” to convey their demands, including a living wage, just benefits, job security, mass hiring of health workers and fulfillment of the right to health of the people.
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