President Rodrigo Duterte assured health workers on Friday the government will “do our best” to release their incentives and protect them as the country battles record-high COVID-19 cases, days after various medical groups said they are considering mass resignation due to the non-release of their benefits.
“Be assured that we in government will do our best to protect and incentivize you for your hard work. We will always be by your side, ready to help in any way we can,” he said in a speech during the arrival ceremony for 1 million Chinese-donated Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine doses Friday.
“I thank all the Filipino frontliners for the sacrifices they have made since the beginning of this pandemic. We are truly grateful for your selflessness in caring for the sick during these challenging times,” the President added
St. Luke’s Medical Center Employees Association president Jao Clumia earlier belied the claim of Health Secretary Francisco Duque that allowances for meals, accommodation, transportation and life insurance were already released to health workers in private hospitals.
“Wala nga po kami niyan kahit pisong duling,” Clumia told ANC’s Headstart.
On Wednesday, Filipino Nurses United secretary-general Jocelyn Andamo told the Senate that health workers treating COVID-19 patients in at least 16 hospitals have yet to receive their benefits.
These included Metro Manila hospitals Chinese General Hospital, Delos Santos Medical Center, Metropolitan Medical Center, the Pasig City COVID Referral Center, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, San Lazaro Hospital, and St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City and Bonifacio Global City.
Duque insisted that only health care workers with direct contact with COVID-19 patients are entitled to special risk allowances under existing laws.
But Commission on Audit chairman Michael Aguinaldo said the DOH should be liberal in paying SRAs and other benefits to hospital workers, especially since the DOH took part in drafting the guidelines, and it could have included all health care employees in the coverage.