00:00Finally, the government is settling its past due arrears with the country's health care professionals.
00:05Our Soojin Kim dwells on tomorrow's big day for health care workers,
00:09with the Department of Budget and Management, or DBM, disbursing 27 billion pesos
00:15to settle government's health emergency allowance, IOUs, in full.
00:19The last two words being the operative terms in that statement.
00:22The Department of Budget and Management is releasing 27 billion pesos to the Department
00:31of Health tomorrow as payment for the remaining health emergency allowance claims.
00:36This in adherence with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
00:40to settle all arrears on the health emergency allowances of health care workers in full.
00:45Our President gave instructions that we should pay this year
00:53our arrears for health emergency allowance.
00:57That is what our President promised last year.
01:15And with that, we are already processing it and we will issue 27 billion pesos arrears for health emergency allowance this Friday.
01:35So, we don't owe anything to our health emergency professionals and workers.
01:42That is why we are happy that we were able to give what we need to be paid to our health workers
01:51who helped us during the pandemic.
01:55Members of Congress also lauded this development and are happy with the fulfillment of President Marcos Jr.'s promise.
02:01Well, we really lauded that.
02:03Because to be honest, there were a lot of promises of health allowances during the pandemic.
02:09It was all sweet talk during the previous administration that these are the benefits of health workers.
02:17But it was all just words.
02:19There was nothing actual.
02:21And that burden was passed on to the current administration.
02:25I am proud of the President and Secretary Amina that they were able to provide a solution.
02:31Meanwhile, House Deputy Minority Leader Franz Castro hopes for no delays in the scheduled release of payments.
02:37Well, that is welcome for us.
02:39This should be released because it is long overdue.
02:41This is still the time of the pandemic.
02:432020 to 2022.
02:45It is 2024 now.
02:47That is why it should be released with no delay.
02:51To date, the DBM has released more than P91 billion to the DOH for the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances or FEBA,
02:58covering all benefits for healthcare workers from 2021 to 2023.
03:02FEBA includes special risk allowance compensation for COVID-19 sickness and death,
03:07and additional benefits like meals, accommodation, and transportation allowances for healthcare workers.
03:13Soojin Kim from the National TV Network for the New and Better Philippines.
Comments