DOH cannot disburse One COVID-19 Allowance without hospital liquidation — Duque

The Department of Health (DOH) cannot disburse the One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA) without liquidation from hospitals that have already received the benefit, outgoing Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Thursday.

Duque issued the remark when asked about the concerns of more than 120,000 healthcare workers and personnel who have yet to receive their OCA.

“So you cannot just be disbursing and disbursing public funds without the proper accountabilities, without the proper liquidation report,” he told CNN Philippines.

“Kapag na-liquidate nila, sabi ko nga kahit partial liquidation puwede na. Kailangan talaga may liquidation. Otherwise, ang DOH will be liable and it will be a subject of a COA observation and a possible disallowance,” he added.

(Once they have liquidated, I told them even partial liquidation is okay. There has to be liquidation. Otherwise, the DOH will be liable and it will be a subject of a COA observation and a possible disallowance.)

Asked if the problem in the disbursement is the liquidation of hospitals, Duque answered “yes.”

He said they have told private hospitals and a few local government hospitals to submit their liquidation reports.

“Sinabihan na namin, you please submit the liquidation report and also the memorandum of agreement kasi lahat ito are embedded in the guidelines for the grant of such benefits and also under the law,” he said.

(We told them, please submit the liquidation report and the liquidation report and also the memorandum of agreement because these are all embedded in the guidelines for the grant of such benefits and also under the law.)

Duque also said he personally monitors the disbursement of the OCA.

“Talagang, akin, mino-monitor ‘yan, ‘yang release na ‘yan. Dahil talagang they are- they deserve it, you know, these benefits, the One COVID Allowance, is long overdue,” he said.

(I monitor the release of that. They really deserve it, these benefits, the OCA is long overdue.)

In May, the DOH said it has released P86.5 million under OCA to 54 health facilities since January 2022.

Under the OCA, those classified to be high risk will be given P9,000 per month, those at moderate risk will receive P6,000, and those at low risk will be given P3,000. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ, GMA News