The main benefit health workers are asking for is the P5,000 special risk allowance (SRA), a benefit promised in Bayanihan 1 and 2 for all health workers in public or private hospitals that directly handle COVID-19 patients.
An active hazard duty pay of P3,000 per month was also promised for health workers and meal, accommodation, and transportation allowance.
But all of these were always late.
In fact, the payment of the SRA was delayed by 6 months before the funds for it was provided in June. As a result, although some have been given to public hospitals, many of those in private have not yet.
As a result, some health workers’ unions such as St Lukes and UST Hospital threaten mass resignation.
But according to the Department of Health (DOH), the funds have already been given to regional offices and various hospitals, and the requirements of some who did not receive them may be lacking.
“Baka kasi procedural, hindi kayo nakapagsumite ng requirements na kailangan… O baka ang pagkaka-compute n’yo po hindi po ayon doon sa provisions na meron tayo sa policies kaya hindi tayo nagtutugma,” explained DOH spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire.
But according to unions, this is not true.
Mass resignation threat continues until health workers’ benefits are provided
“Kung talagang naibigay po ito sa amin hindi kami tutuntong sa ganito,” said Donnel John Siason, union president of UST Hospital.
According to the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP), up to 40 percent have resigned from their staff and have not been replaced until now.
“May demoralization kasi inasahan nilang makukuha ito, nagtatanong sila sa amin akala nila hindi lang namin binibigay ang pondo pero wala pa… Nagtanong kami sa members sa Region 3 wala pa, sa Mindanao lalo na wala,” said PHAP president Jose de Grano.
The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) warns that the problem of mass resignation will worsen if the problems of health workers are not addressed immediately.
The release of a report from the Commission on Audit on some issues with DOH funding added to the resentment of health workers.
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