Almost P20-B allocated for COVID-19 compensation by 2024
The
administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is committed to sustaining
financial support for the nation's healthcare as well as non-healthcare
professionals with the proposed allocation of P19.962 billion for their
benefits and allowances next year while over P64 billion has been released to
settle compensation claims since 2021.
The allotted budget is earmarked for the Public Health Emergency Benefits and
Allowances for Healthcare and Non-Healthcare workers in the FY 2024 National
Expenditure Program (NEP) to pay the COVID-19 allowance and compensation of
eligible healthcare and non-healthcare workers, including arrears from 01 July
2021.
"A total of P20 billion will be provided for the health emergency
allowance and COVID-19 compensation package for eligible healthcare and
non-healthcare workers," the President stated in his 2024 budget message.
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said
the appropriated budget ensures that the country’s healthcare and
non-healthcare workers will continue to receive due compensation despite the
recent lifting of the state of public health emergency throughout the country
due to COVID-19 through Proclamation No. 297.
“As directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., we shall sustain our efforts
in strengthening government healthcare services. And this involves providing
our healthcare workers— our heroes— with needed and continued support,
including their allowances and compensation,” Secretary Pangandaman said.
Under the FY 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the amount of P19.962
billion has been allotted for the same purpose, including payment of arrears
reckoning FY 2020, during COVID-19 or other public health emergencies of
national scale that may be declared in the future under Republic Act (RA) No.
11712, RA No. 11469, and RA No. 11494. This amount was already part of the FY
2023 Comprehensively Released Items of the Department of Health (DOH) per
National Budget Circular No. 590.
On October 13, 2023, the DBM released an additional amount of P4 billion to
DOH, chargeable against Unprogrammed Appropriations for the same purpose. Said
release is limited to the available amount certified by the Bureau of the
Treasury.
According to the latest Financial Accountability Report submitted by the DOH,
P20.983 billion has already been obligated as of 31 October 2023, leaving an
available balance of P3.318 billion.
Meanwhile, since 2021, the DBM has released a total of P64.169 billion to cover
the payment of COVID-19 allowances and compensation of eligible healthcare and
non-healthcare workers. The said amount covers an estimated total of 4,359,140
health emergency allowances and compensation claims. (DBM/PIA-Caraga)
