DBM releases addt’l P1.185B funding for healthcare workers’ unpaid SRAs

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Friday released an additional P1.185 billion to fund the payment of healthcare workers’ special risk allowances (SRAs).

This, after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the release of the said funds. 

The DBM said the amount released will cover the SRAs of 63,812 eligible public and private healthcare workers, who are directly catering to or are in contact with COVID-19 patients. 

Several medical groups and healthcare workers’ organizations have been urging the DOH to release their SRAs on time as the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Overall, the DBM released a total of P11.856 billion, which benefitted 562,928 HCWs who shall receive an SRA not exceeding P5,000 per month from December 20, 2020 to June 30, 2021,” the Budget Department said.

The DBM said the SRA is an additional benefit received by HCWs, apart from the existing compensations as prescribed under the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers and the Department of Health-DBM Joint Circular No. 1, series of 2016. — RSJ, GMA News