Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa 鈥擨NQUIRER file photo / LYN RILLON
Health-care workers have only around four months to claim their COVID-19 benefits for serving at COVID-19 wards in the last two years. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa has committed to continue the processing and payment of delayed health emergency allowance (HEA) to health-care workers, 鈥渟ubject to availability of funds.鈥� 鈥淎ll unpaid HEA for the period of July 2021 to July 20, 2023鈥� shall be processed and paid even after the duration of the COVID-19 [public health emergency],鈥� Herbosa said in a memorandum. The government owes health-care workers in 26 private hospitals at least P2.27 billion in unpaid benefits. The amount covers the HEA, One COVID-19 allowance, special risk allowance, meals, accommodation and transportation allowance from July 2021 to June this year for 20,723 medical front-liners, or those assigned in COVID-19 wards. 鈥擪athleen de Villa