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COVID-19 benefits should cover hospital janitors, non-medical staff —senators


Two senators have pushed for the inclusion of non-medical personnel, janitors, and waste collectors in the coverage of special risk allowance provided by the Department of Health (DOH) as part of COVID-19 benefits.

At a Senate budget hearing, Senator Risa Hontiveros and Senator Panfilo Lacson raised the concern with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

“On the healthcare workers’ compensation and allowance… I just want to make of record again that I am really proposing to automatically include an additional P474 million for the 13,167 non-licensed health worker with that liberal interpretation of frontline workers, to include orderlies, and those others rendering emergency medical services,” Hontiveros said.

“Kahit hindi sila lisensyadong healthcare workers, naiitsapuwera sila kahit at risk sila bilang frontline workers,” she added.

(Even if they are not licensed healthcare workers, they are being left out even though they are at risk.)

Lacson then asked if non-medical frontliners such as janitors, waste collectors, personnel performing other services were also given SRAs.

“Di pa po ito kasama. Karamihan po dito ay they are employed through an agency but certainly it would be good to include them because of the risk they face,” Duque responded.

(They are not covered yet. Most of them are employed through an agency but certainly it would be good to include them because of the risk they face.)—LDF, GMA News

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