THE IDEA OF free hospitalization is good, but who’s gonna take care of the patients if doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers in public hospitals are not around?
In what appears to be an ironic twist of fate, a sizable number of Filipino healthcare workers who have rendered beyond the “call of duty” during the COVID-19 pandemic, have yet to collect their health emergency allowances as mandated under the law.
Referred to as Republic Act 11712 (Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act), the law grants mandatory continuing benefits and allowances to public and private healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and other future public health emergencies.
‘The law which covers “all healthcare and non-healthcare workers, regardless of employment status,” provides benefits including monthly health emergency allowance during the state of public health emergency based on the risk exposure as defined under RA 11712.’
SERVICE RENDERED
The failure of DOH to pay the remaining P6.7-billion health emergency allowance compelled the Senate Committee on Health under the 20th Congress to call for a public hearing concerning the government’s unpaid obligations.
According to committee chairperson Senator Bong Go many eligible healthcare workers have remained unpaid five years after rendering services.
“Service rendered na po ito,” Go stressed. “Kaya nananawagan ako sa DBM (Department of Budget and Management) at DOH na tugunan po ito at bayaran n’yo po,” he urged.
Go however did not provide details as to how many healthcare workers have yet been paid, but admitted that some P27 billion was released last year by the DBM to settle part of the government obligation.
TEDIOUS PROCESS
Renewing calls to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the DOH to expedite the payment of the health emergency allowance, Go assailed the long process before substantial amounts were finally disbursed to beneficiaries.
“Nagkaroon na po tayo ng 14 hearings sa Senado tungkol sa health emergency allowance ng ating mga healthcare workers. Finally last year nabayaran na yung P27 billion. Dahil services rendered na po ito, pinaghirapan at pinagpawisan na nila,” he stressed.
Go underscored that last year’s release of P27 billion was the result of persistent hearings and appeals from the healthcare community, but also revealed that unresolved claims remain.
OBLIGED TO PAY
The law which covers “all healthcare and non-healthcare workers, regardless of employment status,” provides benefits including monthly health emergency allowance during the state of public health emergency based on the risk exposure as defined under RA 11712.
Those deployed in “low-risk areas” shall be given at least P3,000.00, P6,000 for those in “medium-risk areas” and P9,000 for healthcare workers in “high-risk areas”.
The same law categorically states that health emergency allowance shall be received on top of other existing benefits that the healthcare and non-healthcare workers are receiving, provided that they render at least 96 hours of service every month.
The government is also obliged to pay additional compensation to those who have contacted COVID-19 in the line of duty.