SENATOR Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go is urging the Executive department to ensure that the objectives and commitments under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1) will be fulfilled.
“Halos tatlong buwan na ang nakalipas mula ng ipinasa ang Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. Pinaghirapan nating maipasa iyon [It’s been almost three months since we passed it; we worked hard for its approval],” Go, who also sits as a member of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, said.
He said, in a mix of English and Filipino, that lawmakers “had trusted that the agencies will do their best to help people within that limited period that the law is in effect. Now that we’re talking about the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 Act, it’s unacceptable that what should have been given then are still not in people’s hands till now.”
Go’s comments followed his privilege speech at the last Senate session, where he lamented the nonpayment of compensation for health workers who have died of or have been infected by Covid-19, as provided under the Bayanihan We Heal As One Act.
“As the chair of the Senate Committee on Health and as a member of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, I call upon the concerned agencies to remedy this immediately and release the rightful compensation for our health workers who have died of or have been infected by Covid-19, as provided by law,” Go said.
The Bayanihan 1 law clearly states that health workers shall receive compensation once they are infected, hospitalized or expire due to the virus, he stressed..
Go said that the President himself even emphasized the need to pay the health frontliners as they are risking their lives.
In a radio interview on Thursday, Go said heads must roll on the issue of delayed compensation for medical frontliners, Duterte is angered by the delay.
“I’m sure someone will be relieved there, or be liable. The President was angry when I talked to him earlier. He told Secretary [Harry] Roque also he was engry,” the senator said.
Go recounted how he fought for the budget of the health department to ensure that its offices retain their funding.
“In the past budget deliberation, when we had no idea yet that this pandemic would happen, the RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine) budget for the past year was almost removed. There was no Covid yet, but I fought for the RITM budget. I said, restore, even increase, the RITM budget. Who would have thought that it would become the very important agency it is now?” Go said.
The senator said he also fought for the restoration of the budget to pay for the salaries of health care workers to prevent their dismissal.
Go advised the public to let the concerned agencies act on the matter and investigate the issue and it is up to the President to decide.
As for the families of health workers who have died due to Covid-19 and frontliners who were severely affected by the virus, Go said that his office is always open for them.
In a June 1 report by the Department of Health, a total of 2,669 health workers in the Philippines so far have already been affected with Covid-19. The health workers include nurses, physicians, nursing assistants, medical technologists, and radiologic technologists.
“Our health workers are doing one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs against an unseen enemy — a sickness that until now has no cure. They have paid the ultimate price—their lives—so that the rest of their countrymen and women will continue to live,” Go lamented.
President Duterte has given the agencies involved until June 9 to release the checks representing compensation for deceased and sick health workers infected by Covid-19.
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