THE Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on Monday recommended the lifting of the travel ban for health workers with work contracts abroad, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and concurrent presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said yesterday.
Panelo said the IATF recommendation, however, is still subject to the approval of President Duterte but he said most IATF recommendations are approved by the President.
“During the IATF meeting, we reconsidered the policy on the travel ban on health workers. Those with existing perfected employment contracts will be able to leave… The IATF resolution is subject to the approval of the President,” he said.
Panelo said that as legal counsel, he also sent a memorandum to the President recommending the lifting of the travel ban on health workers with existing contracts.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has issued a memorandum banning the deployment abroad of health workers in a bid to ensure there is a sufficient number of medical workers in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The ban covers physicians, nurses, microbiologists, medical technologists, respiratory therapists, and other medical workers.
The recommendation came after the Department of Health said it is hiring close to 900 health workers to expand the country’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Eyed for emergency hiring are physicians, nurses, medical technologists, respiratory therapists, radiologic technologists, medical equipment technicians, nursing attendants, administrative assistants, administrative aides, and other personnel.
In a statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said an initial 857 health care workers will be deployed in three designated COVID-19 referral hospitals, namely the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP), and the Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital.
“The hiring of health personnel is primarily to augment our workforce in health facilities in the regions, provinces, or cities that manage COVID-19 cases,” said Duque.
Subsequent hirings, he said, will be deployed in order of priority to temporary treatment and monitoring facilities for COVID-19, DOH-designated COVID-19 diagnostic facilities, public hospitals (national and local) handling COVID-19 patients, and private hospitals duly designated by the DOH to handle COVID-19 cases.
“Priority will be given to those who signed up as volunteers for the COVID-19 response in DOH sites,” Duque said.
Under the emergency hiring order, the DOH said a health worker will be entitled to a monthly salary compensation with 20 percent premium based on the basic salary, regardless of the number of quarantine days per month; protective personal equipment; board and lodging while on duty or on quarantine; psychosocial support, as needed; continuing professional development units which may be granted through Health Human Resource Development Bureau certification; medico-legal assistance; and preferential evaluation for DOH vacancies, depending on qualifications.
The health personnel will also receive a hazard pay of P500 a day whether on duty or under required quarantine; GSIS group insurance (one time premium of P500); benefits under the Bayanihan We Heal As One Act, such as PhilHealth hospitalization benefits, P100,000 in case of infirmity due to COVID-19 and P1,000,000 in case of death; and communication and transportation allowance of P1,000/month.
The DOH also said public health workers will be eligible for a one-time special risk allowance of up to 25 percent of their monthly basic pay, as provided by Administrative Order 28. — With Gerard Naval
