MANILA – Health Secretary Francisco Duque III stated on Monday that PHP15.9 billion worth of benefits has been distributed to medical front-line workers.
“Kasama rito ang pinakabagong ulat nang pamamahagi ng (Included here are the) Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) sickness and death compensation as of October 6, and special risk allowance as of October 8,” Duque reported to President Rodrigo Duterte during the Talk to the People.
Around 48,000 healthcare employees have received PHP617.2 million from the third and fourth batches of special risk allowance worth PHP1.3 billion, according to Duque.
The beneficiaries of Covid-19 sickness and death compensation have climbed by 375 since last week, to 25,495 people.
To date, the Department of Health (DOH) has distributed approximately PHP604.6 million funds for Covid-19 illness and death compensation.
“Makakaasa kayo na patuloy naming susuportahan ang ating mga healthcare workers sa direktiba po ng atin pong mahal na Pangulo (You can be assured that we will continue to support the healthcare workers as ordered by the President),” Duque said.
He also stated that the DOH is striving to generate funds to guarantee that healthcare workers receive the benefits they are entitled to.
On October 8, Duque asked Duterte to issue an executive order that would allow the DOH to release the allowances for meals, accommodation, and transportation (MAT) of healthcare workers who had not received the benefits under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2), which expired on June 30 this year.
The MAT allowances worth PHP2.51 billion would be allotted to 423,000 healthcare workers.
The allowances covered the period September to December 2020.
