MANILA - The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) has sourced funds to settle unpaid incentives to its health care workers on the frontlines of COVID-19 response, a health official said Saturday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said PGH is under the University of the Philippines, a state university, and not the Department of Health.

“Hindi galing sa atin ang budget nila,” she said.

(Their budge does not come from us.)

Vergeire said that under Bayanihan 1, the funds for the hazard pay and special risk allowance should come from hospitals’ savings.

“Nakapagsabi na rin sila na kulang budget nila sa MOOE kaya ‘di maibigay although mayroon na silang na-source na funds at mare-resolve na nila ang isyu,” Vergeire said.

(They already said that they lack the budget for their MOOE that’s why they could not give the incentives, but they were able to source out the funds and will soon resolve the issue.)

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PGH workers have yet to get the promised benefit since the hospital was made into a COVID-19 referral center in March.

Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, UP-PGH Director, earlier said they have the money for medication, equipment, and infrastructure but don’t have additional funds for personnel services.

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Vergeire said that aside from the interpretation of the law, another factor in the delay is on the part of workers in terms of complying with necessary documents for their benefits to be immediately processed and released.

“Kapag hiiningan sila ng needed requirements o documents para ma-facilitate ang kanilang sweldo, dapat naipapasa rin po nila ng tama, kumpleto at on time,” she said.

(When they are being asked to pass needed requirements or documents to facilitate their salary, they should submit these complete and on time.)

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She also assured that the DOH would always try to immediately solve problems relating to health workers.

“Ayaw natin na nagkakaroon ng ganitong isyu because we know the value of our health care workers kaya po sa tuwina nagkakaroon ng ganito, we investigate it at once at binibigyan natin ng solusyon para d'yan,” she added.

(We don’t want these kinds of issues because we know the value of our health care workers that's why when something like this happens, we investigate it at once and we give solution.)