THE Davao City Government is targeting to allocate around P95.66 million for its health workers who are at the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic response.
Davao City Budget Officer Ermelinda Gallego said in a radio interview on Wednesday, December 16, that the local government will be allowing special risk allowance (SRA), and active hazard duty pay (AHDP) for city workers who are working in the city hospitals and quarantine facilities, including doctors and nurses.
She said the funding for the risk allowance and duty pay will be coming from the Department of Health (DOH) national.
Gallego made the announcement days after the 19th City Council passed under Suspended Rules the Ordinance granting legislative authority to Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to sign the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with DOH-Davao Center for Health Development for the transfer of funds to the City Government for the payment of hazard pay and special risk allowance to eligible health workers in Davao City.
Gallego said this is on top of their salary and hazard pay they are receiving, as mandated by the Magna Carta for Health Workers.
She said the City Health Office is the one determining the proposed budget and qualified beneficiaries of the additional incentive.
Based on the data forwarded by CHO Head Doctor Josephine Villafuerte, a total of P95,661,636.37 will be allocated for the frontline health care workers -- P57,842,272.73 will be allotted for the SRA while P37,819,363.64 will be allocated for those qualified to receive the AHDP.
Gallego said a total of 3,538 workers, including plantilla, job order, contract of service, barangay health workers, and barangay nutrition scholars, will receive P3,000 each from the SRA.
For AHDP, she said pantilla and job orders will also receive P3,000. The number of workers who will benefit from this will still have to be finalized.
But she said this is still subject for verification under the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), as instructed by the City Administrator Zuleika Lopez.
"Amo pang i-check kung tama ba ang number of personnel na gi-report ni Doctor Villafuerte (We are still finalizing and checking if the number of declared personnel by Doctor Villafuerte is accurate)," Gallego said, adding that they wanted to ensure that all qualified workers will be receiving it.
The official said the City Government and DOH are still finalizing the
MOA.
Gallego said the incentives might be released before the end of December this year.