Duterte extends grant of special risk allowance for health workers in COVID-19 cases

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday has approved the extended grant of special risk allowance (SRA) for health workers in contact with COVID-19 patients from September 15, 2020 to June 30, 2021.

Duterte has issued Administrative Order (AO) 42 which states that "the State of Public Health Emergency warrants the further grant of the COVID-19 SRA to recognize the heroic and invaluble contributions of our health workers who bravely and unselfishly risk their lives and health."

The SRA rate will be based on the number of days that the frontline health workers physically report for work in a month as certified by head of hospital, laboratory, medical or quarantine facility or his or her authorized representative from September 15, 2020 to June 30, 2021.

Prior to AO 42, the President issued AO 36 which grants SRA to health workers catering to or in contact with COVID-19 patients from September 15, 2020 to December 19, 2020.

AO 42 also stated that the continued grant of the SRA is consistent with Republic Act 11519 which extended the validity of the P165 billion Bayanihan 2 law until end of June 2021.

The amount needed for the continued grant of the SRA, however, was not identified under AO 42.

Instead, AO 42 just stated that the additional funding for the continued grant of SRA until end of June 2021 "will be charged against any appropriate funding source as authorized under the Bayanihan 2 law." —NB, GMA News