DBM Allocates P27 Billion for Health Workers’ Emergency Allowance

MANILA — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) worth PHP27.453 billion to settle health emergency allowance claims for medical workers, announced DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Friday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the funds are intended to cover over five million unpaid health emergency allowances and over four thousand Covid-19 related sickness and death compensation claims. The SARO issued to the Department of Health (DOH) will specifically finance the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA), which includes special risk allowances and other additional benefits such as meals, accommodation, and transportation allowances for healthcare workers.

This funding release follows a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., aiming to resolve all pending HEA claims within this fiscal year. Pangandaman highlighted the government’s commitment to delivering these overdue benefits promptly, thus avoiding delays into the next budget year or 2025. The DBM emphasized that this move is part of a broader effort to ensure healthcare workers are compensated for their critical roles during the pandemic.

Further detailing the distribution process, the DOH mentioned that once the funds are received, they will be quickly sub-allotted to the Centers for Health Development (CHD), which will then ensure the disbursement to local government units and private health facilities under their supervision. This structured approach aims to expedite the delivery of allowances to eligible healthcare workers, including those barangay health workers who were integral to the Covid-19 response.