DBM OKs release of P11.5B for health workers’ One COVID-19 allowance

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Wednesday announced the release of P11.5 billion for the One COVID-19 Allowance/Health Emergency Allowance (OCA/HEA) of public and private healthcare and non-healthcare workers.

In a statement, the DBM said the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) issued on October 5, 2022 covers unfunded OCA/HEA claims of 1.6 eligible healthcare and non-healthcare workers for the period of January to June 2022.

“Our health care workers deserve all the support and assistance from their government. They’ve been risking their lives to save and protect our people amidst this still prevailing pandemic. This is the least we can do for them,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

The DBM said the latest release of funds will cover the unfunded portion of some 2,613,331 approved OCA/HEA claims by the Department of Health as of September 5, 2022.

The over 2.6 million claims have a total funding requirement of P18.7 billion.

Of the said amount, P7.92 billion was released last February 14, 2022, covering the payment of 995,671 OCA/HEA claims, according to the Budget department.

The DBM said the provision of OCA is pursuant to the DOH Special Provision (SP) No. 14 or Benefits for COVID-19 Workers of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 General Appropriations Act, which was subsequently replaced by HEA under the Republic Act No. 11712 or “An Act Granting Mandatory Continuing Benefits and Allowances to Public and Private Health Care Workers During the Covid-19 Pandemic and Other Future Public Health Emergencies, and Appropriating Funds Therefor.”

The Budget department also approved the release of a SARO amounting to P1.04 billion to cover the special risk allowance (SRA) of eligible public and private health workers. 

To date, the total released allotment for SRA amounts to P11.857 billion, according to the DBM. —KG, GMA News