Marcos wants continuous health allowances for medical personnel sans state of calamity

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Wednesday directed the continuous health allowances for medical workers despite the expiration of the state of calamity in the Philippines.

"Tuloy-tuloy ‘yan... Yung inaalala ko dati na hindi matutuloy ang compensation para sa ating health workers, ‘yung mga health workers, ‘yung allowance nila ay pinag-aralan namin nang mabuti kahit hindi itinutuloy ang state of calamity ay hindi maapektuhan ang pagbayad doon sa ating mga health workers ng kanilang mga benefits,” Marcos said after his meeting with health officials in Malacañang.

(It should continue. That's my concern before that compensation of health workers will not continue, we study carefully how their allowances will continue even the state of calamity is not enforced.)

The Department of Health had asked for the extension of the state of calamity, which expired on December 31, 2022.

It was former President Rodrigo Duterte who placed the country under state of calamity until September 12, 2022 due to the pandemic.

According to Duterte's proclamation, a state of calamity throughout the country is needed "in order for the national government and the local government units to continuously deliver COVID-19-related interventions such as but not limited to COVID-19 vaccination program; utilize appropriate funds, including the Quick Response Fund, in their disaster preparedness, and response efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19; monitor and control prices of basic necessities and prime commodities; and provide basic services to the affected population."

Marcos pointed out the declining number of infections in the Philippines based on recent records, adding that the number of anti-COVID-19 doses is still sufficient.

“Pababa naman nang pababa ang ating cases, pababa nang pababa naman ang ating hospitalization, ‘yun ang binabantayan natin. So titingnan natin,” Marcos said.

(The number of cases continue to decrease. The hospitalization rate also continues to go down. That's what we're monitoring.)

"Hindi na kailangan kagaya ng 2021 na lagi tayong nagmamadali makakuha ng vaccine dahil pabawas na ‘yung risk, so dapat naman eh mag-adjust din tayo doon sa kung ano ba talaga ang scientific na assessment doon sa sitwasyon ng COVID," the President added.

(It's not the same as in 2021 wherein we are doubling our efforts to get vaccines. We should adjust on the present situation when it comes to COVID-19.)

The DOH already said it started preparing for alternatives on how it could continue with the COVID-19 response even without the state of calamity.

It added that the government could still continue with its vaccination program because vaccines with emergency use authorization are granted a one year validity after the ceasing of the state of calamity. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News