THE GOVERNMENT will verify the list of health care workers who fell severely ill due to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Malacañang said on Wednesday.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque urged the Department of Health (DOH) to review the list, stressing that he found it “difficult” to believe that there were only less than 20 health care workers sickened by the coronavirus.
“I’d like to verify how many actually should be entitled because maybe it’s a bit difficult to believe that only about 20 front-liners became critically ill with Covid-19 so we’ll have to check on that figure,” he said.
Roque welcomed the progress in the distribution of compensation to healthcare workers, citing President Rodrigo Duterte’s frustration for health officials to act on it sooner.
“It’s just a matter of actually doing it. I think the President just had to show his impatience for bureaucrats to move,” he said.
On Tuesday, Roque disclosed that 17 out of 18 checks worth PHP100,000 each have been delivered to health care workers who fell severely ill due to Covid-19, while one is ready for pickup.
Kin of 26 out of the 30 health care workers who died of Covid-19 have already received their compensation, he said.
Four health care workers need to submit a special power of attorney (SPA) to receive the compensation.
Two health care workers, meanwhile, were delisted because they are not eligible for the compensation while another two reside abroad, he added.
As of June 1, data from the DOH showed that there have been 2,669 healthcare workers infected with Covid-19, while 32 have died.
Under Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, public and private health care workers who became severely ill from Covid-19 infection in the line of duty are entitled to PHP100,000, while the families of those who die from it could get PHP1 million.
The law also provided for a “Covid-19 special risk allowance” for public health workers on top of the hazard pay that they should receive under the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers Act.
It also mandated the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to shoulder all the medical expenses of public and private health workers if they contract Covid-19 or suffer injuries or other diseases during the national health emergency.
‘Heads should roll’
Asked if there is a chance that the President or Health Secretary Francisco Duque III would fire any health official over the delay in the release of compensation for health care workers, Roque said it remains to be seen.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen now because it’s no secret that the President was enraged. In fact when he found out that here we are always saying we value our (front-liners) but we can’t seem to walk the talk because the benefits already provided by law were not given to them in time,” he said.
Roque said the President was “really pissed” since soldiers killed in action, unlike the health care workers, did not have to wait long because compensation was given to them immediately.
“The President said that heads should roll and I’m wondering now what actually will happen. It’s something that I need to talk to him about,” he said.
Last week, Duterte ordered Duque to form a new team that will oversee the distribution of compensation to health care workers infected with Covid-19.
He also named Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) chief Dr. Leopoldo Vega as DOH Undersecretary to lead the distribution of aid to healthcare workers. (By Azer Parrocha)
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