Drilon to Duque: Don't blame hospitals, take responsibility for delay in health workers' benefits

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<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1751322" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>MANILA - Health Secretary Francisco Duque III should take responsibility for the delay in distributing benefits to health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic instead of passing the blame, Sen. Franklin Drilon said Thursday.</p><p>The Department of Health is the primary agency in the government&#x27;s pandemic response and was given P77 billion for this specific purpose, yet 31 percent of these funds was left unobligated, said Drilon. Some P900 million for the health workers&#x27; benefits were also not spent, he said.</p><p>&quot;For Sec. Duque to blame the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) for the delays or the hospitals, that’s totally passing the buck. He must assume full responsibility for this,&quot; he told ANC&#x27;s Headstart.</p><p>In a Senate hearing on Wednesday, Duque said private hospitals are responsible for the delayed disbursement of benefits to their health care workers. DOH data showed that between September 2020 and June 2021, the agency has released nearly P15-billion worth of allowances and monetary benefits for 1.2 million medical workers.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/18/21/doh-blames-hospitals-for-late-release-of-benefits-for-health-workers">DOH blames private hospitals for late release of COVID-19 benefits for health workers</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/19/21/private-hospitals-reject-doh-claim-on-delayed-benefits">Private hospitals rejects Duque claim they&#x27;re to blame for delayed benefits</a></li></ul><p>But for Drilon, the DOH leadership should not point fingers &quot;when the COVID-19 response is your primary responsibility&quot; and instead work on finding solutions to this problem.</p><p>&quot;I’m sorry to tell Sec. Duque that hindi dapat ganon. Do not point fingers. See what the problem is, see how it can be solved rather than pointing your finger at the hospital. The fact remains that our health workers have not been paid this special risk allowance etc,&quot; he said.</p><p>The Senate hearing on Wednesday and the investigation at the House of Representatives last Tuesday followed a report by the Commission on Audit that flagged the DOH&#x27;s deficiencies in managing funds for COVID-19 response.</p><p>COA cited the agency&#x27;s lack of documentation, purchases that were disadvantageous to government, and issuance of cash allowances, gift certificates, and grocery items among other things. It also noted the P11.89 billion that was unobligated.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/11/21/coa-spots-deficiencies-in-handling-of-p67-b-covid-funds">COA flags &#x27;deficiencies&#x27; in DOH management of P67-B COVID funds</a></li></ul><p>Drilon said that while the audit report did not say it had evidence of corruption, &quot;there’s certainly mismanagement that resulted in missed opportunities.&quot;</p><p>&quot;They’re not saying that there is a deliberate, malicious effort to steal money, but certainly there was negligence, mismanagement which has resulted in our medical workers not getting what is due them under the law and for which money was appropriated,&quot; he said.</p><p>Health workers&#x27; unions have threatened a strike after many of them failed to receive their special risk allowances and meals, accommodation and transportation allowances, and other benefits. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/12/21/union-warns-of-possible-labor-strike-of-health-workers">&#x27;Medical lockdown&#x27;, mass resignation of PH health workers in private sector possible: union</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/14/21/doh-appeals-to-health-workers-on-mass-resignation-plan">&#x27;Sana mapag-usapan&#x27;: DOH appeals to health workers on mass resignation plan</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1751078" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Health Sec. Francisco Duque should take responsibility for failure to distribute benefits to health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Drilon said.

Drilon to Duque: Don't blame hospitals, take responsibility for delay in health workers' benefits | ABS-CBN

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Drilon to Duque: Don't blame hospitals, take responsibility for delay in health workers' benefits

Drilon to Duque: Don't blame hospitals, take responsibility for delay in health workers' benefits

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 19, 2021 11:56 AM PHT

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Franklin Drilon

Francisco Duque

health workers

DOH

Department of Health

COA

Commission on Audit

health workers benefits

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