NextGen Day

The House of Representatives has passed a bill that will make benefits for the country’s medical first responders permanent.

House Bill 10701, which seeks to provide continuous benefits for public and private health care workers (HCWs) as well as barangay health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and future health emergencies, was approved on second reading by voice vote last Wednesday afternoon in a hybrid plenary session.

The measure was enacted by the plenary just two days after the appropriations committee, chaired by ACT-CIS and Benguet caretaker Rep. Eric Yap, authorized it.

“This is one among the ways we’re showing our support for our HCWs, who are heroes in this pandemic.” “This is an affirmation of our Congress’ resolve to preserve the welfare of our frontline troops and to compensate them in some way for the sacrifices they made for our country in the fight against COVID-19,” Yap explained.

Rep. LRay Villafuerte of Camarines Sur urged fellow congressmen to pass the bill in the plenary as soon as possible to complement President Rodrigo Duterte’s direction for the disbursement of P1.185 billion for the special risk allowance (SRA) of medical frontliners.

“The Congress can take it a step further by adopting legislation that makes this stipend and other perks for our medical frontline workers permanent,” he said.

House Bill 10365, introduced by Villafuerte, intends to give insurance coverage, a unique risk allowance, and other benefits to HCWs.

These suggested benefits would be available to both public and private healthcare professionals and would be provided during the COVID-19 pandemic’s state of national calamity.

The panel approved the measure after the Department of Health (DOH) recommended that several benefits be eliminated, including active hazard duty pay, life insurance, and accommodation, meal, and transportation allowances, in favor of a more inclusive and “singular” COVID-19 allowance for medical frontliners.

Maylene Beltran, DOH Assistant Secretary, said the department supports the measures’ goal, which is to provide universal benefits to healthcare personnel on the front lines of the pandemic.

“While the Department of Health supports the legislation’ aim, it suggests that a single allowance be granted that would cover and replace all of the benefits specified in the bills,” Beltran stated.

“In addition, the rate of the allowance will vary depending on the health care worker’s risk exposure in specific work contexts. “The danger of exposure can be minimal, medium, or severe,” she added.

The Department of Budget and Management, for its part, stated that while it supports the legislation, it is concerned about the real scale necessary given the government’s fiscal situation.

Aside from the allowance, the alternative law stipulates that in the event of death, P1 million would be given to the insured individuals’ heirs, and in the event of sickness, P100,000 will be given to them in a severe or critical situation.

Those with mild or moderate conditions will also receive P15,000.

Beneficiaries will receive the compensation specified in the proposed act no later than three months after the date of incarceration or death.

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