HEALTH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa yesterday called on all healthcare workers (HCWs) in the private sector who have yet to receive their pandemic benefits to submit their complete documentary requirements to facilitate the release of their Health Emergency Allowances (HEAs).
In a television interview, Herbosa said the submission of the requirements have been long overdue.
“The problem with the private sector is their documentations are insufficient. And because it happened way back, it is already difficult to reconstruct,” said Herbosa, adding: “So to those (who) have yet to receive them, please fulfill the documentary requirements of the government.”
The health chief the requirements cannot be waived as it is mandated by the laws and the Commission on Audit (COA).
“We cannot release the benefits without the documentary requirements. If I do that, COA will call my attention and I may face imprisonment. I cannot change the requirements since it is outside my mandate,” explained Herbosa.
The head of the Department of Health (DOH) said most of the unreleased HEAs are for the private sector medical frontliners, as most HCWs from public hospitals have already been distributed.
“According to the report to me, those for government hospitals are almost completed. The problem is really with the private hospitals,” said Herbosa.
