MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to immediately release the compensation benefits to health workers who got infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) while serving as frontliners.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Thursday in a virtual press conference from Davao City the President gave DOH until June 9 to release the money to health workers who died or got infected with the virus.
“Hanggang Martes lang po ang ibinigay ng Presidente para sa lahat ng kinauukulan na ibigay ang mga compensation benefits sa mga healthworkers na nagkasakit ng COVID-19 in the line of duty at sa pamilya ng mga namatay na health workers,” Roque said.
“Galit po ang Presidente. Galit, frustrated at ngayon ko lang po nakita na talagang medyo uminit ang ulo ng President nung nalaman niya na matapos ang tatlong buwan ay hindi pa naibibigay,” he added.
The law, approved in March, grants P100,000 to healthcare workers with “severe” COVID-19 infection and P1 million to the families of those who died from the viral illness.
The DOH assured Wednesday that it was working on this and that department officials have been reaching out to the concerned families.
Several senators expressed dismay on Tuesday after learning that not a single health worker affected with the virus was able to receive the sickness and death benefit that was indicated in the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
“We’re told that because there was no IRR (implementing rules and regulations), no one has been able to avail,” Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said during the plenary session on Tuesday night.
“It’s really criminal, this neglect to pass this and to delay these types of benefits. We keep praising them as our heroes and yet it’s merely lip service if we don’t give them anything material,” he added.
Over 2,600 healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19, while 32 have died, according to the DOH latest data. Nationwide, there are over 19,000 cases of the deadly disease./PN
