P9,000 monthly risk allowance sought for healthcare workers

MANILA, Philippines — A monthly special risk allowance (SRA) of P9,000 was pushed by the Department of Health (DOH) for all health care workers (HCWs) directly handling COVID-19 patients at House plenary deliberations on its proposed P242.22-billion budget for next year.

Late Tuesday night, deliberations tackled the additional P49 billion sought by the DOH to fund the allowance scheme for HCWs, who would be categorized as low-risk, medium-risk or high-risk.

The DOH explained that P9,000 in SRA would be given to high-risk HCWs who are in direct contact with COVID-19 patients; P6,000 for medium-risk workers and P3,000 for low-risk workers.

Through its sponsor Cebu fifth district Rep. Vince Franco Frasco, the department said the proposed appropriation would cover a total of 526,727 medical frontliners nationwide.

“This covers several hospitals, employees, health care workers and several hospitals, health employees in LGUs and health workers in private hospitals and even in military hospitals,” the lawmaker bared.

Citing DOH estimates, Frasco said there are 399,592 high-risk, 47,173 medium-risk and 79,962 low-risk HCWs.

The allowance scheme covers other health workers such as janitors handling hospital wastes.

At present, HCWs are given a maximum of P5,000 per month in SRA and P3,000 for active hazard duty. But medical frontliners have complained of receiving measly amounts that were even delayed for months.

The DOH’s proposed budget for 2022 does not include the allowances for HCWs as the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) put it instead in the proposed Bayanihan 3 law, which was already passed by the House but has not been acted upon by the Senate.

In the same budget deliberations that ended at half past midnight, the DOH agreed to realign P4.2 billion in its budget for next year for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.

Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo asked Frasco about the agency’s plan on procuring booster shots amid the continuing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For the calendar year 2022, there is P45 billion in unprogrammed funds for booster doses which should cover an estimate of 38 million of our population,” Frasco said in response.

“In addition to the figures I mentioned earlier, there is an allocation of P4.2 billion from programmed funds that will be used for the booster shots.” – Mayen Jaymalin?