DOH scolded for paperwork delay in grant of HCWs’ benefits
CAMARINES Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte has reprimanded the Department of Health (DoH) for seemingly messing up the paperwork in the grant of extra monetary benefits to our nurses and other healthcare workers (HCWs), which has prevented many medical frontliners from receiving them in connection with their coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related services, almost a half-year after the enactment of a new law that is supposed to guarantee the timely release of such extra pay.
“Instead of putting off the required documentation, as claimed by the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) leadership, for the release of additional economic benefits for our nurses and allied HCWs, our health officials should be riveted on wrapping up such budgetary paperwork so our medical frontrunners can at last get such extra pay due them under the new law that was enacted earlier this year precisely in recognition of the excellent job that they have been doing to save lives since the onset of the pandemic,” Villafuerte said.
The president of the National Unity Party (NUP), Villafuerte said: “It is awful to learn that our health officials have allegedly messed up the paperwork needed for the swift release under RA (Republic Act) 11712 of additional allowances and other benefits for our medical frontliners at continuous risk of COVID-19, at this time when President Marcos had just praised our nurses as “my (his) heroes” and assured HCWs of his government’s full support for measures to equalize their pay, polish up nursing education and upgrade their career prospects.”
“The new law was written by the 18th Congress exactly to prevent a repeat of last year’s incident in which many of our HCWs had complained about not getting on time the HEA (health emergency allowance) due them for their invaluable services in caring for Covid-infected Filipinos—even at great risk to their own lives—since the pandemic broke out in early 2020,” Villafuerte, a co-author of RA 11712, said.
Last week, DOH Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Secretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire pointed to the delayed release of such funds as health officials were reportedly “still trying to negotiate” with the DBM for the release of such benefits.
“We have long been requesting for this budget for DBM and up until now we had not been granted for the release of this funds kaya wala pa rin po kaming maibigay sa inyo ngayon,” Vergeire said.
In a TV interview, though, DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman claimed no funding for additional HCW benefits could be given because the DoH has yet to submit the complete documentary requirements for such release.
