Bong Go repeats calls for DOH to fast-track Health Emergency Allowance distribution to qualified health workers
October 4, 2024
Bong Go repeats calls for DOH to fast-track Health Emergency Allowance distribution to qualified health workers
In a Senate hearing on Wednesday, October 2, presided over by Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, he once again made a strong appeal to concerned government agencies, urging them to prioritize the release of the Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) for qualified health workers.
Go emphasized the need for the immediate reconciliation of records, predicting that more appeals would arise if these issues were not promptly addressed.
In his opening statement, Go reiterated his concern regarding the long delays in disbursing the allowances, even though funds had already been released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the Department of Health (DOH).
"Marami pa rin po sa ating mga kababayan ang 'di pa po nakakatanggap ng kanilang HEA," Go stated. "Kahit sabihin niyo by October tapos na po ito, bayad na po ito, hindi pa rin po ako makokontento habang ayan, marami pa yan. Pakinggan niyo. 'Di pa ako nagsasalita, 'yan na sinisigaw -- HEA! HEA!," he said, referencing the growing complaints from health workers.
Go then proceeded to show a video documenting the complaints of healthcare workers from Luna, Isabela, and Dasmariñas City, Cavite, among other places.
He then called on the DOH officials present to respond to the complaints. He reminded the officials that it was their responsibility to ensure the full and timely release of the funds, which had already been provided by the DBM.
"Dahil ang pinangako nila before October ends ay matutugunan na po ito. At ni-release naman po ng DBM sa DOH ang pondo," he added.
DOH Undersecretary Achilles Bravo provided an update on the status of the HEA. He explained that a cut-off date had been agreed upon during previous committee hearings, which was set for May 20. At that point, the total requirement for the HEA was PhP103.5 billion, and a shortfall of PhP27 billion was identified.
Thanks to Go's intervention, the shortfall was covered through the release of unprogrammed funds, and as of October 1, the DBM had provided the necessary funds to the DOH's regional offices.
However, some issues persisted, as a portion of the allowances had not yet been fully disbursed due to compliance and liquidation processes. Bravo also mentioned that after the release of the PhP27 billion, additional appeals amounting to PhP4.7 billion were submitted, which had not been accounted for in the original disbursements.
Go sought clarification on the status of the appeals process and disbursement of the HEA. He confirmed with Undersecretary Bravo that the PhP4.7 billion represented appeals received after the release of PhP27 billion from the DBM, which had not yet been fully secured.
Bravo explained that the PhP27 billion had been released to the DOH regional offices, with 91% of the total PhP103 billion requirement already disbursed, and the remaining 9% still undergoing liquidation.
Go speculated that some complaints likely came from those waiting for the remaining payments. He then urged the DOH to validate these claims and present them in the upcoming budget hearings.
"Importante ngayon, ang gawin n'yo, i-validate n'yo. Kasi kung validated naman, and they are qualified, magiging parte na po ito ng inyong obligasyon ng gobyerno sa kanila," Go said.
He emphasized that it would be unfair for health workers who rendered services during the pandemic to be excluded simply because their appeals were submitted after the cut-off date.
As the hearing progressed, Go made a passionate plea to prioritize the settlement of these appeals, particularly for health workers who had already rendered services during the pandemic.
"Unahin niyo 'yung bayaran itong services rendered ng mga health workers' allowances, mas importante ito," Go urged.
He reminded the committee that these health workers had already sacrificed so much during the pandemic and that their allowances should be treated as a priority.
Go also touched on the importance of presenting these appeals during the next budget hearing.
"Baka pwede n'yo i-present ito sa body, sa Senado, na meron kayong ganong appeals," Go said, pushing for the inclusion of these additional amounts in the budget for next year. He reiterated the need for immediate reconciliation and validation of the appeals to avoid further delays.
Toward the end of the discussion, Go reminded the committee that health workers had been at the forefront of the pandemic response and that the government owed them not just gratitude but proper compensation.
"Hindi natin mararating ito kung hindi po dahil sa ating mga health workers. Utang na loob po namin ang buhay namin sa inyo," Go declared.
He urged DOH officials to continue working diligently to ensure that all appeals are validated and resolved.
"Nakikiusap ako, please validate, reconcile... hanapan n'yo po ng paraan. Nandito po tayo para sa ating mga health workers, at hindi po ako titigil hangga't di natutugunan ang inyong mga hinaing," he concluded.
Go is one of the authors and co-sponsors of Republic Act No. 11712, which mandates the provision of additional health emergency allowances for public and private healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health emergencies. Despite the lifting of the State of Public Health Emergency in the country last year, he continues to appeal to the executive to release the pending health emergency allowances due to qualified healthcare workers for their services rendered during the pandemic.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
