THE Department of Health (DOH) has requested the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release an additional P27 billion for the Health Emergency Allowances (HEAs) of healthcare workers for the remaining months of this year.
In a press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they asked the DBM last November 8 to release the amount “that will cover the remaining months of the year of the unpaid Health Emergency Allowance.
“Hopefully, it will be released before Christmas so we can distribute them and our healthcare workers will have a merry Christmas,” Vergeire said.
The DOH officer-in-charge said they are constantly coordinating with the DBM for the timely release of the funds.
As of October 2022, the DOH said they have already received P11.5 billion for the HEAs of 1,617,660 healthcare workers covering the period of January to June 2022.
The HEA was formerly known as the One COVID-19 Allowance.
Under the benefit package, healthcare workers are entitled to receive financial benefits depending on their level of COVID-19 exposure, ranging from P3,000 to P9,000 a month. — Gerard Naval
