Billions of DOH funds for health workers' benefits repurposed: senator

Gillan Ropero, ABS-CBN News

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Members of the Alliance of Health Workers hold a noise barrage and ‘die-in’ protest in front of the Department of Health headquarters in Manila on June 22, 2021. The group called for the immediate release of meal, accommodation and transportation allowances of health workers and frontliners in the fight against COVID-19. ' src='http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/08/25/20210622-alliance-health-workers-protest-doh-jc-013750734.jpg?ext=.jpg' ><figcaption>Members of the Alliance of Health Workers hold a noise barrage and ‘die-in’ protest in front of the Department of Health headquarters in Manila on June 22, 2021. The group called for the immediate release of meal, accommodation and transportation allowances of health workers and frontliners in the fight against COVID-19. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Billions of the Department of Health's funds for health workers' benefits under the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act (Bayanihan 2) were repurposed, a senator said Wednesday.</p><p>Of the P13 billion allotted to the DOH, some P3.19 billion and P1.02 billion were "adjusted for augmentation for operating of DOH-supervised hospitals to include accommodation and transport," Sen. Joel Villanueva said.</p><p>There were reports that the DOH asked that funds for meals, accommodation, and transport allowances (MATs) downloaded to hospitals in December 2020 be returned "almost immediately, within the same month according to the alliance of health care workers," he added</p><p>"It boggles our minds how the funds allotted for SRA and hazard pay benefits (were) adjusted and reallocated to another set of benefits for meals, transportation allowances but in the end our health care workers did not get either," he said during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.</p><p>"DOH should trace these funds and see which regional offices and hospitals still hold these funds and make them accountable."</p><p>The agency had issued a memorandum requesting its operating units to return unutilized funds after it finished its distribution of benefits to health workers, said Rowena Lora, OIC-Director IV of the DOH Finance Management Service.</p><p>Some P1 billion was collected from the unutilized funds, she said.</p><p>"Sinabi lang po sa memo is kung di na kailangan, that we believe nakapagbayad na sila, nakapag-satisfy na ng benefits ng health workers, na maibalik sana sa DOH kasi at the time may clamor na dagdagan 'yung sa meals, SRA at hazard," she said.</p><p>(The memo stated that if they had already satisfied the benefits of health workers, to return unutilized funds because at the time there was clamor to add funds for meals, SRA, and hazard pay.)</p><p>Health workers, however, said they have yet to receive their MATs and SRA, prompting them to consider a strike or a "medical lockdown."</p><ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/24/21/doh-told-cascade-requirements-for-health-workers-allowance'>DOH told to cascade requirements for health workers' cash allowance</a></li>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/11/21/health-care-workers-benefits-covid19-pandemic'>Health workers seek release of benefits as COVID-19 pandemic rages on</a></li></ul><figure class='op-interactive'><iframe allow='autoplay; fullscreen' frameborder='0' height='100%' id='ivsplayer01' scrolling='no' src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&spid=3001339&vid=1754714' width='100%'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more in <a href='//www.iwantv.com.ph/'>iWantv</a> or <a href='//tfc.tv/'>TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>"It boggles our minds how the funds allotted for SRA and hazard pay benefits (were) adjusted and reallocated to another set of benefits for meals, transportation allowances but in the end our health care workers did not get either," he said during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.</p><p>"DOH should trace these funds and see which regional offices and hospitals still hold these funds and make them accountable."</p><p>The agency had issued a memorandum requesting its operating units to return unutilized funds after it finished its distribution of benefits to health workers, said Rowena Lora, OIC-Director IV of the DOH Finance Management Service.</p><p>Some P1 billion was collected from the unutilized funds, she said.</p><p>"Sinabi lang po sa memo is kung di na kailangan, that we believe nakapagbayad na sila, nakapag-satisfy na ng benefits ng health workers, na maibalik sana sa DOH kasi at the time may clamor na dagdagan 'yung sa meals, SRA at hazard," she said.</p><p>(The memo stated that if they had already satisfied the benefits of health workers, to return unutilized funds because at the time there was clamor to add funds for meals, SRA, and hazard pay.)</p><p>Health workers, however, said they have yet to receive their MATs and SRA, prompting them to consider a strike or a "medical lockdown."</p><ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/24/21/doh-told-cascade-requirements-for-health-workers-allowance'>DOH told to cascade requirements for health workers' cash allowance</a></li>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/11/21/health-care-workers-benefits-covid19-pandemic'>Health workers seek release of benefits as COVID-19 pandemic rages on</a></li></ul><figure class='op-interactive'><iframe allow='autoplay; fullscreen' frameborder='0' height='100%' id='ivsplayer01' scrolling='no' src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&spid=3001339&vid=1754714' width='100%'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more in <a href='//www.iwantv.com.ph/'>iWantv</a> or <a href='//tfc.tv/'>TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Of the P13 billion allotted to the DOH, some P3.19 billion and P1.02 billion were "adjusted for augmentation for operating of DOH-supervised hospitals to include accommodation and transport," Sen. Joel Villanueva said.</p><p>There were reports that the DOH asked that funds for meals, accommodation, and transport allowances (MATs) downloaded to hospitals in December 2020 be returned "almost immediately, within the same month according to the alliance of health care workers," he added</p>

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Members of the Alliance of Health Workers hold a noise barrage and ‘die-in’ protest in front of the Department of Health headquarters in Manila on June 22, 2021. The group called for the immediate release of meal, accommodation and transportation allowances of health workers and frontliners in the fight against COVID-19. ' src='http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/08/25/20210622-alliance-health-workers-protest-doh-jc-013750734.jpg?ext=.jpg' ><figcaption>Members of the Alliance of Health Workers hold a noise barrage and ‘die-in’ protest in front of the Department of Health headquarters in Manila on June 22, 2021. The group called for the immediate release of meal, accommodation and transportation allowances of health workers and frontliners in the fight against COVID-19. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Billions of the Department of Health's funds for health workers' benefits under the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act (Bayanihan 2) were repurposed, a senator said Wednesday.</p>

Billions of the Department of Health's funds for health workers' benefits under Bayanihan 2 were repurposed, a senator said Wednesday.

Billions of DOH funds for health workers' benefits repurposed: senator | ABS-CBN News

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Billions of DOH funds for health workers' benefits repurposed: senator

Billions of DOH funds for health workers' benefits repurposed: senator