House panel OKs bills seeking benefits for health workers

The House Committee on Health on Tuesday approved in principle several proposed measures seeking benefits, including special risk allowance, active duty hazard pay, and insurance to public and private health workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

House Bills 9640, 10198, 10285, 10331, and 10365 were approved subject to style and amendments during a virtual panel meeting.

Quezon Representative Angelina "Helen" Tan, who heads the panel, proposed that the benefits that will be provided to health workers, who are at the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19 pandemic, should not only be monetary.

She is recommending providing comprehensive healthcare benefits to medical personnel who were also infected with COVID-19.

Tan said health workers should not have "out-of-pocket" expenses.

"Ako ang proposal ko po is to have a comprehensive healthcare benefits, so kung magkano talaga ang na-incur nila sa treatment at naka-survive sila, kung kaya i-cover ng PhilHealth, i-cover po ng PhilHealth... wala dapat out-of-pocket sila kasi talagang po nakakaawa sila," Tan, a doctor by profession, said.

(My proposal is to have comprehensive healthcare benefits. PhilHealth should cover all expenses incurred due to their treatment. These health workers should not have any out-of-pocket expenses.)

She said non-monetary benefits should also be considered, like psychiatric and psychological assistance especially those who survived COVID-19.

"'Yun yung proposal ko -- na hindi lang limited doon sa monetary na natatanggap nila (My proposal is that benefits should not be limited to monetary)," Tan said.

Bills

Members of the Makabayan Bloc had filed House Bill 9640 that seeks to grant special risk allowance and active hazard duty pay to all health workers, in private and public sector, in hospitals and other health facilities during a state of public health emergency.

The group claimed that the current allowance and hazard pay of medical workers are insufficient and limited.

The measure stated that the national government should ensure the provisions of P15,000 special risk allowances and P5,000 active hazard duty pay for all health workers on a monthly basis and should not be pro-rated for every month that they are providing service amid the state of public health emergency.

Parañaque Representative Joy Myra Tambunting's House Bill 10198 is seeking provision of life insurance, accommodation, transportation, and meals aside from the SRAs and active hazard duty pay to health workers.

On the other hand, BHW party-list Representative Angelica Natasha Co's House Bill 10285 wants to ensure the continuous granting of COVID-19 benefits to public and private health -- including the barangay health workersregardless of their employment status.

Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas' House Bill 10331, meanwhile, is proposing to have increased allowances and benefits to health workers.

It also wants provision for life insurance, accommodation, transportation, and meals or their cash equivalent, just like the House Bill 10365 being proposed by Camarines Sur Representative LRay Villafuerte.

All these bills will be consolidated by the panel.   —KBK, GMA News