The Department of Health (DOH) assured on Wednesday that it would continue to disburse benefits like the One Covid-19 Allowance (OCA), Special Risk Allowance (SRA), Meals, Accommodation, and Transportation (MAT) Allowance, and Covid-19 Sickness and Death Compensation to health workers (HCW) and staff.
Through the DOH-Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MMCHD), a total of P86,507,118 OCA has already been released to 54 health facilities since January 2022.
A total of P403,492,881 from the recently released OCA has already been allocated to 266 health facilities and is readily available pending the submission of documents, especially the signed memorandum of agreement and liquidation report from the previously transferred funds to the health facility. Alongside OCA, disbursements for SRA and MAT are also ongoing, DOH said.
For SRA, a total of P639,961,524 has been issued to 234 health facilities since February 2022, P581,302,189 of which has been claimed by 218 facilities, while P58,659,335 for 16 facilities remains unclaimed.
Meanwhile, for MAT, an amount of P80,768,000 has been issued to 47 health facilities; P76,631,000 has been claimed by 34 facilities and P4,137,000 remains unclaimed by 13 health facilities. For Covid-19 Compensation, a total amount of P180,000 has already been released to 12 health workers from the amount released by Department of Budget and Management (DBM) this May 2022.
The DOH said that P7,020,000 is ready to be claimed by 468 claimants awaiting completion of their requirements.
It can be recalled that last May 20, 2022, the DOH-MMCHD reported through its news release that the office has started distributing this benefit and has been duly received by the individuals at the agency’s office.
“Every fund transferred to the health facilities need to be liquidated before we can release succeeding funds, thus, even if we are ready to release their checks, most of them have not yet liquidated previous funds transferred to them,” said Regional Director Gloria J. Balboa as she appealed to the health facilities for the submission of their liquidation reports, as well as to the health workers to coordinate with and help their management to comply with the requirements.
Finally, the DOH-MMCHD said that it unceasingly recognizes the needs of the health care workers and continuously improves its operations to expedite the distribution of the aforementioned benefits.