THE government of President Duterte maybe trying to give due recognition by way of more benefits and security of tenure to workers, but even leaders of this administration have to concede that they have not been totally successful in this effort.
This Labor Day, we sadly note that Duterte’s promise to end labor-only contracting or popularly known as “Endo” is still a promise. Also, subsidies to workers under the COVID-19 amelioration and fuel subsidies to drivers of public transport have not been enough, if given at all.
It therefore comes as a whiff of fresh air for certain sectors of labor this news that the President signed into law recently the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Healthcare Workers Act, or Republic Act 11712. This piece of legislation allows for the grant of continuous benefits for healthcare workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other public health emergencies that may happen in the future.
‘With legislation already in place ensuring benefits and allowances for healthcare workers, the only thing the next chief executive should do is implement the law.’
The new law mandates that whenever there is a pandemic, all healthcare workers will receive a monthly health emergency allowance. The amount of the stipend will depend on their category of risk exposure. Those working in low-risk areas will receive P3,000 in monthly allowance; medium-risk areas, P6,000; and high-risk areas, P9,000.
Aside from this, RA 11712 also provides additional benefits for workers stricken with COVID-19 in the line of duty. In case the worker dies, P1 million will be given to his or her survivors. Meanwhile, P100,000 and P15,000 will be given to workers who have severe and mild cases, respectively. Full PhilHealth coverage will also given to all healthcare and non-healthcare workers.
Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan of the 4th district of Quezon, one of the authors of the law and its principal supporter at the House Committee on Health which she heads, said these benefits will have a retroactive application up to July 1, 2021 and will remain while there is a national public health emergency as declared by the President.
With legislation already in place ensuring benefits and allowances for healthcare workers, the only thing the next chief executive should do is implement the law. In the next administration, we expect to see less and less of pickets and rallies among nurses, doctors and hospital workers on the issue of benefits and allowances.
