The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has announced that it will release P27 billion for the Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) of medical workers on Friday, July 5. This fund is intended for public and private health workers who have been caring for COVID-19 patients.
In a statement, the DBM mentioned that this allocation aligns with the Department of Health’s (DOH) request for a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) and Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) totaling P27.453 billion. This amount will cover the payment of 5,039,926 remaining validated unpaid HEA claims and 4,283 COVID-19 Sickness and Death Compensation claims for eligible healthcare and non-healthcare workers.
This move fulfills a promise directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman highlighted the urgency of the release, stating, “This is a promise fulfilled. Even though the DOH requested this for 2025, the DBM strived to fulfill it earlier because our health workers deserve it.”
The HEA is mandated under Republic Act 11712, also known as the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act. This law ensures healthcare workers receive allowances for every month of service during public health emergencies, with amounts varying based on the risk level of their deployment areas.
So far, the DBM has released P91.283 billion to the DOH for the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA) from 2021 to 2023, including P73.261 billion specifically for the HEA.
The DOH clarified that barangay health workers (BHW) involved in COVID-19 response activities are also eligible for the HEA. Once the DBM transfers the P27 billion SARO to the DOH, it will be immediately distributed to Centers for Health Development, which will then disburse the funds to local government units and private health facilities.
However, the United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines (UPHUP) expressed skepticism regarding the announcement. “With the election already looming on the horizon, we at the UPHUP are somewhat skeptical. We are very concerned that the healthcare workers are just being baited by the very same money that they should have already had a long time ago,” the group stated.
