Health care workers to get emergency allowance, benefits

HEALTH care workers, who rendered health services during COVID-19 pandemic, will soon receive their Health Emergency Allowance (HEA), sick and death compensation, and other benefits.

This, after the 21^st City Council during its regular session presided over by Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez, enacted an ordinance authorizing Mayor Rolando A. Uy to enter into and sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Center for Health Development-Northern Mindanao (CHD-NM), covering the implementation of the health allowance and benefits for public and private health care workers (HCW) including non-health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and other future health emergencies.

The implementation of the health allowance to frontline health workers will cover the period beginning July 1, 2021.

Section 5 of the Republic Act No. 11712, known as the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowance for Health Care Workers Act, provides that the amount of HEA shall vary based on the risk exposure categorization of the HCWs and non-HCWs in particular setting: ₱3,000 for low risk, ₱6,000 for medium risk, and ₱9,000 for high risk.

The legislative measure, certified urgent by Mayor Uy, was unanimously approved by the city council. (JBD/SP/Photo from Bloomberg.com)