Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Mina F. Pangandaman encouraged the Department of Health (DOH) to address bottlenecks to fast-track the disbursement of the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA) of healthcare workers amounting to a total of P91.283 billion.
"Ang good news po natin, ang National Government po, sa kabuuan, nakapag-palabas na po ng P91.283 billion po para sa ating mga health emergency allowance, benefits and compensation. Ito po ay nagsimula noong 2021, noong nagkaroon po tayo ng pandemic, tapos last year po, ‘yung budget po natin ngayong 2024, nakapaglaan din po tayo ng P19 billion para dito," Secretary Pangandaman said.
To note, the released fund for PHEBA included some P73.26 billion for Health Emergency Allowance (HEA)/One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA), P12.90 billion for Special Risk Allowance (SRA), P3.65 billion for COVID-19 Sickness and Death Compensation, and P1.47 billion for other benefits, such as meal, accommodation, and transportation allowance.
Sec. Pangandaman also underscored that the government does not withhold the release of the budget intended for healthcare workers’ benefits and allowances.
“Alam n’yo po, lalo na po ngayon sa administrasyon po ng Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, ang utos po sa akin, ilabas ang budget. Wala naman po tayong reason para i-hold ‘yung budget dahil gusto po natin makarating ‘yan nang mas mabilis sa mga kababayan natin. So, day 1 po, day 1 ng taon, ni-release ko na ang pondo sa mga Departments,” Secretary Pangandaman pointed out.
The Budget Secretary also reiterated her request for DOH to finalize its HEA mapping.
“Meron po tayong tinatawag na HEA mapping po sana. Para sana makita po natin ‘yung mga nabigyan at saka 'di nabigyan, para mas madali po makita doon kung ano po ang magiging balanse natin,” Secretary Pangandaman said.
Meanwhile, she assured that in case the DOH’s budget becomes insufficient to cover all unpaid HEA claims, the DBM shall help in securing fund sources, such as the use of unprogrammed appropriations under the 2024 national budget, which will be triggered for release upon the generation of additional revenues, and the allocation of needed funds for the same purpose in the proposed 2025 national budget.
“Pinapangako po namin, dahil utos po ito ng ating Pangulo, na kung sakaling magkulang po, may source po tayo, ‘yung unprogrammed (appropriations). Kung magkulang din po ‘yan, anyway po, we're doing the 2025 budget preparations now. If we get the exact amount po, hopefully po mailagay po namin lahat sa NEP po—National Expenditure Program—the President's Budget for 2025,” the Secretary Pangandaman emphasized.
