DoH vows release of P27B hazard pay

THE Department of Health (DoH) said Friday it would promptly allocate the P27-billion Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) to its respective Centers for Health Development (CHDs) upon receipt of the funds from the Budget Department.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman announced on Thursday the early release of funds in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to settle all outstanding Hazard Pay Enhancement Allowance (HEA) for health care workers.

«The CHD will then facilitate the disbursement of HEA to the local government units and Private Health Facilities under their jurisdiction, subject to requirements, such as liquidations, from previous fund transfers and memorandum of agreement,» DoH said.

According to the DoH, the local government unit and private hospitals will then be responsible for disbursing the cash payments to the health workers.

In an interview on DWPM Radyo630 on Thursday, DoH spokesman Albert Domingo promised that all health workers would receive the allowance.

In May, the DoH officially requested a SARO and Notice of Cash Allocation amounting to P27.453 billion.

The allocation covers payments for 5,039,926 validated unpaid HEA claims and 4,283 Covid-19 sickness and death compensation claims for eligible health care and non-health care workers.

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Both amounts were presented to the Senate during a hearing on May 20 and proposed by DoH for inclusion in their FY 2025 National Expenditure Program, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

DBM has already disbursed P91.283 billion to DoH for the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances, covering all benefits for health care workers from 2021 to 2023. Of this amount, P73.261 billion is designated explicitly for HEA, the DBM said.

«This is a promise fulfilled. Even though DoH initially requested this for 2025, DBM endeavored to fulfill it earlier because our health care workers deserve this,» Pangandaman said in Filipino.

HEA release timing questioned

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But the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) questioned the timing of the release on Friday of the P27 billion worth of unpaid emergency allowances to all health workers.

In a statement, AHW