Health workers stage a lunch break picket at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila on January 31, 2022. Jonathan L. Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Covid

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173252435774120220131-health-workers-protest-JC-042126180.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Health workers stage a lunch break picket at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila on January 31, 2022. Jonathan L. Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Some mayors allegedly pocketed portions of the Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) of healthcare workers, which the latter earned for their service during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography joint with Finance on Monday, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Achilles Bravo said they received informal reports that healthcare workers did not receive the full amount due them.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/13/lack-of-healthcare-workers-among-major-roadblocks-doh-official-1738">Lack of healthcare workers among &#x27;major roadblocks&#x27;: DOH official</a></div><p>“According to them na binulsa daw ng mga mayors or barangay health workers. For example, kung ako beneficiary ako ng P50,000, pinirmahan ko P50,000 pero actual na-receive ko is only P30 to P50,000,” Bravo said.</p><p>Senate Committee Chair Senator Bong Go told DOH, “Dapat imbestigahan ng DOH ‘yan. Since you are the one who released the funds.”</p><p>According to Bravo, they have instructed the complainants to file a written complaint so they may fully investigate the issue. </p><p>Bravo added that there are also informal reports that some mayors supposedly refused to release the HEA.  </p><p>“Gusto nila isama ‘yung mga BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology), pulis na bibigyan sa HEA. Which should not be the case,” Bravo said. “Health workers lang.”</p><p>“Bakit ang health workers lang daw bigyan, ang mga pulis kasama naman daw sa implementation sa COVID. But we informally told them that hindi puwede. Kung sino ‘yung naka-beneficiary, nakasaad sa health workers, dapat ‘yun ang bayaran,” the DOH official said.</p><div><strong>P5.3B APPEALS</strong></div><p>DOH has released P27 billion in HEA to healthcare workers.</p><p>It then received appeals amounting to P5.3 billion which is why Bravo requested Go to intervene for them in order to possibly include the said amount in the agency’s 2025 budget.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/05/02/23/1-year-mandatory-service-for-new-doctors-nurses-proposed">One-year mandatory medical service for new doctors, nurses proposed</a></div><p>“We have also asked our regional offices to explain to us, the health units to explain bakit ngayon lang sila. Sabi kasi nila, kung noon ‘di sila naniniwala na mababayaran sila, ngayon because of your committee hearings, nabigyan sila, ngayon lang sila naengganyo na mag-request,” Bravo explained.</p><p>Asked why DOH did not include the P5.3 billion in their 2025 budget request, Bravo said the appeals came after they have already submitted their proposal to Congress.</p><p>Pia Yanto-Abad, Director of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said, “Considering that the budget is already undergoing deliberation of Congress we will yield to the wisdom of our legislative department if the same will be included as part of the 2025 budget.”</p><p>Go directed the DOH to submit a request for the P5.3 billion to the Senate Committee on Finance.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u7FTm-W146s?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>DOH Undersecretary Achilles Bravo said they received informal reports that healthcare workers did not receive the full amount due them.</p>

DOH Undersecretary Achilles Bravo said they received informal reports that healthcare workers did not receive the full amount due them.

DOH probing reports that mayors pocketed allowance of healthcare workers | ABS-CBN

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DOH probing reports that mayors pocketed allowance of healthcare workers

DOH probing reports that mayors pocketed allowance of healthcare workers

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 25, 2024 05:01 PM PHT

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