The Department of Health is rushing to meet the deadline for distributing the monetary compensation benefits to the families of health workers who died or who got critically ill due to coronavirus, Tuesday. DOH Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire added “unforeseen circumstances” are hindering the distribution.
“Pinipilit nating maibigay lahat ngayong araw, until end of business hours. Pag-iibayuhin po natin. Pero kung sakali na hindi matapos, ang dahilan po ay unforseen circumstances,” Vergeire said.
(We are pushing to distribute all of them today, until the end of business hours. We would strive to do it. But if we cannot finish today, it is because of unforeseen circumstances.)
“May 26 na checks na distributed sa heirs [ng mga namatay]. May anim na andiyan na ang tseke, pero hindi pa nakukuha kasi kailangan ng special power of attorney nung ibang heir kasi ‘yung next of kin nasa ibang bansa kaya anak na lang ang kukuha. ‘Yung iba naka-confine rin, at iyong dalawa [sa anim] ay vina-validate pa ang detalye sa death certificate,” Vergeire said in a virtual briefing.
(We have distributed 26 checks to heirs of the deceased. Six are not yet claimed because a special power of attorney is needed since some next of kin are abroad so their children would claim the check. Some are also confined, and we are still validating the death certificate of the two of the six check recipients.)
Meanwhile, at least 24 health workers are expected to receive P100,000 compensation after they went critically ill but survived COVID-19. Of the 24, 10 already received their benefits while DOH is still verifying the others, said Vergeire.
“Kapag tayo naman ay binigyan ng instruction, gagawin natin. Pero may mga unforeseen circumstances na hindi natin mako-control,” she said.
(When we are given instruction, we would do it. But there are unforeseen circumstances that we can’t control.)
“From 70 [qualified for severance pay of P100,000], naging 42, then 24 kasi nagde-delist po tayo. Meron po na sa medical abstract, sila po ay moderate at mild lamang. Meron rin pong mga tinawagan, at sinabi po nila na mild case lang po sila kaya hindi po nila kukunin iyong benefit,” Vergeire added.
(From 70, it became 42, then 24 because we are delisting. We asked for their medical abstract, and it showed that they are moderate and mild cases only. We called others who said they would not accept the benefits since they are only mild cases.)
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III last week blamed his staff for the delay of the health workers’ benefits.