Some health workers from 3 government hospitals protested on Thursday for allegedly delaying their allowances.
They are willing to even pass it on as a gift check, vouchers, or grocery items, instead of cash, as long as it can be given immediately.
Some have not slept or eaten yet, but health workers of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Heart Center, and Lung Center of the Philippines have come out on the road.
It is said that their allowance has been delayed for several months.
Nursing attendant Eva de Guzman, 33 years of service, is upset because she still seems to be begging for an allowance.
“Bulacan ako umuuwi, may trapik, walang biyahe… Hindi kami uma-absent, walang undertime, recall, pasok… Hangga’t may pasyente, serbisyo. Kaya ‘yung para sa amin dapat ipagkaloob, ‘wag ipagdamot,” she said.
The administrative order of the Department of Health requires facilities, whether private or public, to provide health workers with accommodation, transportation, and food.
Gov’t health workers beg for allowance’s release
Bayanihan 2 law comes from the budget so it covers the months from September to December 2020.
The rate or budget is per P2,200 per health worker in NCR, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa, while P1,500 to P1,800 in other regions.
But according to health workers, they did not benefit from it because some hospitals were allegedly given funds only on December 29.
“Ang gusto namin sanang mangyari, ‘yung accommodation, ‘yung transpo, at ‘yung meal allowance na ‘yan ay convert na lang. Kung ayaw nila ibigay nang cash, i-convert na lang sa bigas at grocery para makatulong naman sa amin na health workers,” Bonifacio Carmona, national officer of Alliance for Health Workers insisted.
The DOH, on the other hand, clarified that the funds were not withdrawn from the hospitals so the provision of food, accommodation, and transportation is still up to the hospital.
But since the DOH guidelines also do not state that this is a type of allowance, the budget provided per health worker is not commutable or can be used as cash or vouchers.
The DOH, on the other hand, reminded hospitals to submit a liquidation report to ensure that the funds were used correctly.