Education workers to get hazard pay in ECQ, MECQ areas: DepEd

MANILA — Public school teachers in areas placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ can get a daily hazard pay amounting to P500, the Department of Education said Monday.

DepEd teachers and personnel are entitled to such amount when they report to work, in line with Administrative Order No. 26 that grants hazard pay to government personnel, said Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla.

"Ang ating mga empleyado under MECQ or ECQ, kapag kayo ay pinapasok, eligible sa hazard pay," Sevilla said in a press briefing.

The hazard pay is one of the monetary support that the department is offering its personnel as the country continues to grapple with the threat of COVID-19, which has already sickened over 161,000 in the country.

• PH virus tally breaches 161,000; over 40,000 new recoveries also reported

Sevilla said teachers are also set to receive P500 in September for their annual medical examination, and a P1,000-incentive in October for World Teachers' Day.

The DepEd is also coordinating with the Employees' Compensation Commission, Government Service Insurance System, and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation for benefits that teachers may avail in case they get sick with COVID-19, she said.

• PhilHealth to cover hospitalization of teachers with coronavirus: DepEd

Education Secretary Leonor Briones stressed that teachers would not be forced to go out of their homes to work, especially in areas where there are many cases of COVID-19.

"In places like NCR (National Capital Region) or Region 4, places where there is lockdown, teachers should not be going out because they will be prevented from going out," she said.

Briones made the statement as some teachers expressed worries that they could get the respiratory disease while delivering learning materials to students at home.

In-person classes remain prohibited pending the availability of a vaccine against COVID-19. In the coming school year, lessons are set to be delivered through modules, online classes, television, and radio.