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| Health workers are at the frontlines in the fight against the new Coronavirus. (Photo from: Mutahe Kagwe) |
[아시아뉴스통신=페이 기자] Malacañang on Thursday vowed to prevent delays in the release of hazard pay and other benefits of medical front-liners following reports that a nurse from Cainta, Rizal died of COVID-19 without receiving such. In a virtual Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque offered sympathies to the family of Cainta Municipal Hospital nurse Tess Cruz who reportedly received Covid-19 hazard pay of only PHP64 per day for 41 days.
Under Administrative Order 26, a Covid-19 hazard pay of PHP500 per day should be given to government workers, including healthcare workers, who physically report for work. Roque said he would personally ensure that Cruz receives the PHP1-million compensation for healthcare workers who succumbed to the disease as mandated by the Bayanihan Law.
From now on, he emphasized that all medical front-liners will receive their COVID-19 hazard pay and other benefits on time. “Sisiguraduhin natin na ang ganitong delay ay hindi mangyayari (We will make sure that this type of delay will no longer happen),” he said. The Department of Health (DOH), he said, will have to guarantee that local hospitals also comply with the Administrative Order 26 on the release of Covid-19 hazard pay.
Roque clarified that he did not necessarily hold the Cainta municipal government accountable, recognizing that the grant of Covid-19 hazard pay to healthcare workers will depend on the financial capability of their local governments.
