P18.9 billion emergency allowance for healthcare workers unfunded in 2023 budget

At least P18.96 billion worth of emergency benefits and allowances for healthcare and non-healthcare personnel are unfunded under the proposed P5.2-trillion national budget for 2023.

The amount is part of the P588.16 billion worth of "Unprogrammed Appropriations" which may be availed on certain conditions.

These are in case of “excess revenue collections in any one of the identified non-tax revenue sources from its corresponding revenue collection target; new revenue collections or those arising from new tax or non-tax sources which are not part of, nor included in, the original revenue sources; and, approved loans for foreign assisted projects.”

Other budget items unfunded or under unprogrammed fund in the proposed P5.2 trillion budget include:

• Support to foreign-assisted projects (P380 billion)
• Support for infrastructure projects and social programs (P149.69 billion)
• Budgetary support to Government-Owned-and-Controlled Corporations (P20.68 billion)
• Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Equity Infusion pursuant to Central Bank Act (P10 billion)
• Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization program (P5 billion)
• Payment of arrears of Land Transportation Office-IT service (P2 billion)
• Risk Management program (P1 billion)
• Refund of the service development fee for the right to develop the Nampeidai property in Tokyo, Japan (P210.57 million)
• Prior years' local government unit shares (P14.62 million)

The Duterte administration on April 2022 had enacted a law, Republic Act 11712 or the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act, which grants continuing benefits to health workers.

Under the law, medical workers must receive an “emergency allowance” for every month of service during a state of a public health emergency.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier said he will not yet lift the state of public health emergency declared on the whole country in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The state of public health emergency was declared in March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic by then-President Rodrigo Duterte.

Under Proclamation 922, the state of public health emergency shall remain in force and effect until lifted or withdrawn by the President.—LDF, GMA News