THE Department of Health (DOH) said nearly P17 billion has been released as compensation and benefits for healthcare workers directly involved in the country’s fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, DOH Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said on Monday, August 16, 2021.
Under the Bayanihan 1, Vega said 75,143 public health workers, including the contractual, received a total of P552 million as special risk allowance (SRA) for March 24 to June 24, 2020.
There were 96,524 public health workers, including the contractual, who also received hazard pay amounting to P946 million while 114 public and private health workers were covered by sickness and death benefits worth P62.7 million.
Under Bayanihan 2, 306,314 private and public health workers received a total of P3.2 billion SRA for the period September 15 to December 19, 2020, while 359,501 workers received P7.1 billion SRA for the period December 20, 2020 to June 30, 2021.
A total of P3.3 billion in hazard pay was released to 384,159 workers for the period September 15 to December 19, 2020. These 384,159 workers also received meals, accommodation and transportation amounting to P1.3 billion for the same period.
Vega also said 23,081 workers received sickness and death benefits amounting to P487 million in the same period under Bayanihan 2.
In a report released earlier, the Commission on Audit (COA) noted that P4.8 million financial assistance for health workers was unpaid. Vega said this has been paid by the concerned regional office.
The COA report also flagged P275 million in unauthorized meal allowances, but Vega said the matter has been resolved.
“The unpaid financial assistance to health workers was) due to varying reasons such as lack of required documentary requirements. However, this was immediately paid by the regional office upon completion of lacking documents while the processing units committed to their turnaround times all our facilities must work like clockworks to ensure timely and availability of funds. We have reiterated adherence to our processes across all implementing units,” he said.
Vega said the meal allowances were paid in cash as approved by the Office of the President.
He said the DOH is completing the necessary documents to support the payment of some P814 million allowances which the COA said is not in compliance with applicable law, rules and regulations and the P11.6 million payment for death and sickness benefits.
“Ssome operating units failed to establish qualifications of healthcare workers to receive those benefits and miscalculation of actual benefits as they were committed due to the objective of the government to provide immediately to frontliners these monetary benefits as a simple way of thanking them for their heroism and dedication,” said Vega.
Vega said the reported delays in the release of funds for the compensation of the healthcare workers was due to the process with the regional offices and the conduct of verification to ensure the eligibility of the recipients.
He urged the management of the hospitals to certify and validate their health workers who were not able to receive the benefits amid their Covid-19 duties.
Vega said the DOH has also complied with the P11.8 billion unobligated allotments under the Bayanihan 1, as of December 31, 2020 as noted by COA.
He said P4.2 billion was utilized for the salaries, emergency hires, benefits and procurement of medical supplies in time of pandemic; P4.7 billion for allotment for foreign loans; and P5.1 billion were under continuing appropriations.
He said these funds have been requested for re-issue of Special Allotment Order in 2021.
Vega said concerned units are also already working on the P5-billion procedural and documentary deficiencies in procurement process and P42.4-billion unliquidated balances flagged by the COA.
“Concerned units reasoned out that due to immediate urgent needs of the hospitals, time constraints and unavailability of supporting documents require them to liquidate additional cash advances were given even without liquidating the previous ones,” he said.
“COA flagged that we need to await liquidation of all pending procurements before transferring again to these agencies but we cannot afford to do that given the emergency. Full liquidation is possible only with the delivery of all procured items, but if the items were to be delivered in tranches then we have to wait we need to continue procuring, we cannot stop and wait,” he added.
Vega said the DOH will be able to comply in order to clear the issues raised by COA. He assured that no funds were lost to corruption. (SunStar Philippines)