The House Committee on Health on Tuesday approved measures that seek to provide benefits to all health-care workers (HCWs) during the pandemic period.
Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, M.D., the panel chairperson, said House Bills 9640, 10198, 10285, 10331, and 10365, which were approved subject to style, will focus on continuing Covid-19 benefits to both public and private health workers.
Tan said various measures on the “Covid-19 Benefits for Health Workers Act of 2021” mandate that these benefits should remain available so long as the presidential declaration of national public health emergency is in place.
Tan also said members of her committee have unanimously approved the measures subject to consolidation and amendment.
The panel is now preparing on the substitute bill for transmittal to other committees for their own deliberations.
The benefits, the lawmaker said, would include monthly special risk allowance for all public and private health workers directly catering to or in contact with Covid-19 patients; actual hazard duty pay for all health workers serving in the frontlines; life insurance, accommodation, transportation and meals to all health workers.
Also, she said, health workers who contract mild or moderate Covid-19 would be given P15,000 each; P100,000 for severe or critical cases; and in case of death, the amount of P1 million to the heirs.
On top of these, Tan said, additional benefits that will cover psychiatric treatment for affected health workers will also be included.
According to Tan, several benefits were given to health workers under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2, which lapsed on June 30 this year.
“2021 has been designated as the International Year of Health and Care Workers in appreciation and gratitude for their unwavering dedication in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization [WHO] has launched a yearlong campaign, under the theme—‘Protect, Invest, Together,’ which highlights the urgent need to invest in health workers for shared dividends in health, jobs, economic opportunity and equity,” she said.
“The WHO has in fact called on the public to ensure that our health and care work forces are supported, protected, motivated and equipped to deliver safe health care at all times, not only during Covid-19 because they are as much needed to accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs] and Covid-19 recovery,” she added.