MANILA - The Education department is working to release the salaries of almost a million of its workforce for the months of March and April.

The workforce includes regular or plantilla employees, contract of service workers, and consultants.

In a text message, Department of Education Spokesperson Usec. Annalyn Sevilla said this is one of their priorities during their meeting with the regional directors yesterday, and which they hope to release soon.

“We are doing inventory now per region," she said.

Aside from the salaries, the DepEd is also working on the release of its personnel’s clothing or uniform allowance, 2018 Performance Based Bonus (PBB). and Hazard Pay.

This, however, will not be easy as the release of salaries will still depend on the availability of cash from the Regional Office and Schools Division Offices, and if the Department of Budget and Management will allow the release of funds.

“Please remember that DepEd workforce is almost a million already, and processing of compensation/benefits takes time. We need to proactively process and prepare documents until it reach the banks for remittance to employees accounts. We need to take into consideration the urgency of tasks and at the same time follow existing financial policies and guidelines," Sevilla said.

"DepEd has to take care of the welfare of our employees, with an advice to spend their salaries and benefits with prudence and to prioritize health needs especially at this challenging time," she added.

The Philippines is under a state of calamity and the government imposed a Luzon-wide lockdown to contain the disease, described by the World Health Organization as a global pandemic after it killed more than 8,000 and infected over 200,000 worldwide.

COVID-19 may be fatal for the elderly, the immunocompromised, and those with underlying medical condition, but 80 percent of cases globally showed a high chance of recovery "without needing special treatment," according to the WHO.

WHO said COVID-19 symptoms include fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea.