Health workers and medical frontliners attend to residents at a vaccination site at the Sta. Ana Elementary School in Manila on Aug. 13, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday gave the health and budget departments 10 days to settle benefits of health workers, as some consider mass resignation over the delayed release of their additional pay more than a year into the COVID-19 crisis.
Thousands of medical workers have already reportedly resigned during the pandemic, complaining of low pay and poor working conditions. Some have sought better jobs abroad.
Duterte told Health Secretary Francisco Duque III: "Use whatever money there is, bayaran mo iyong hinihingi ng mga nurses (pay what the nurses are asking for), both in government and those outside of government na volunteers."
"Kung wala kang pera, gastusin mo lahat ‘yong ano d’yan, I’m ordering you to use every money there," the President said in a taped national address that aired on Saturday.
(If you don't have money, spend everything you have there.)
But Duterte acknowledged that funds have to be requested from the Department of Budget and Management.
"Hindi ikaw ang magkuha d’yan sa bulsa mo para ibayad mo, correct? I would like now itong naghawak ng pera or authority to spend, DBM, I’m giving you 10 days," added Duterte.
(The money won't come from your pocket correct? I would like the one that handles the money or authority to spend, DBM, I’m giving you 10 days.)
"Wala kayong (you lack) personnel? Borrow from other agencies," he continued.
The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPi) estimated that 40 percent of private hospital nurses resigned last year, but more followed amid new waves of infections this year. Public hospitals are facing similar challenges.
"If we want to increase bed capacity, that is easy, but the problem is the nursing component," PHAPi's president, Jose Rene de Grano, told Reuters.
A union leader recently said some health workers in private hospitals have yet to get their special risk allowances or hazard pay, despite repeated meetings with officials.
"Taliwas ito sa mga sinasabi ni [Health] Sec. Duque na ang pahayag niya sa media, matagal na raw downloaded 'yon, 'yong meals, accommodation, life insurance, saka transportation," said Jao Clunia, president of the St. Luke’s Medical Center Employees Association.
"Wala nga po kami niyan kahit pisong duling," he told ANC's Headstart.
(This is different from Sec. Duque's statement to the media that the meals, accommodation, life insurance, and transportation allowance have long been downloaded. We have not received even a single peso.)
The Department of Health said it it has released P10.85 billion for the special risk allowance (SRA) of 740,958 health workers, and another P4.24 billion for the hazard pay of 864,843 frontliners.
The DOH is also facing questions on its management of COVID-19 funds. State auditors said "deficiencies" of around P67 billion led to "missed opportunities" in containing the coronavirus pandemic. The health department said the funds were accounted for.
— With reports from Reuters