Palace sees Duterte giving deadline for release of benefits to COVID-19-stricken health workers

Malacañang on Wednesday joined senators in expressing concern over the supposed delay in the release of financial assistance to COVID-19-stricken health workers.

In an interview on ANC, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he would discuss the matter with President Rodrigo Duterte, who will lead a meeting with the government’s coronavirus task force in Davao City on Thursday.

“We agree with the senators, that’s why in my talk I will ask the President what is now your mandate, because the last time we talked about stranded OFWs, he simply said I'll give these people a deadline,” Roque said.

“I expect that in my conversation with the President he will give a new deadline for those responsible in implementing the death benefits and other benefits due our frontliners.”

Several senators expressed dismay on Tuesday after learning that not a single health worker affected with severe COVID-19 has been able to receive the sickness and death benefit that was indicated in the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

Senator Sonny Angara said in a plenary session that the lack of implementing rules and regulations hampered the release of the benefits.

As of Monday, the Department of Health reported that 2,669 health workers have contracted the disease, with 32 deaths and 1,438 recoveries. It also recorded one severe case.

The law directed the President to provide compensation of P100,000 to public and private health workers who may contract severe COVID-19 infection while in the line of duty.

A P1-million compensation will be given to health workers who died while fighting the outbreak.

The provision on compensation for health workers will have a retroactive application starting February 1, 2020.

All public health workers will also receive a COVID-19 special risk allowance in addition to the hazard pay granted under Republic Act 7305. --KBK, GMA News