MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday sought a special audit of the previously released and disbursed funds for the payment of all Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA) amid requests for additional funding.
The DBM and the DOH said that the special audit will assist the health department in 鈥渧alidating and consolidating鈥� all requests and disbursements related to health emergency allowance (HEA).
鈥淭he government recognizes and lauds the significant contributions of our healthcare workers during the pandemic. It also has serious concerns among economic managers regarding why the funding requirements to cover the incentives remain a moving target, even more than a year after the state of public health emergency was lifted. This situation creates uncertainties regarding the government鈥檚 payment obligations for this purpose,鈥� they said in a joint press release.
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鈥淚n light of these developments, including further appeals for additional funding requirements for PHEBA, the DBM and the DOH agreed during the Monthly Economic Managers鈥� Meeting held on February 17, 2025, to request the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit of the previously released and disbursed funds for the payment of all PHEBA claims to ensure proper accounting of public funds spent for this purpose,鈥� it also said.
Moreover, the request was sought after the DBM and the DOH received various appeals and additional requests for HEA payments not covered by the earlier release, the agencies said in the same statement.
The DBM has previously allotted and released P121.325 billion to DOH to cover all healthcare workers (HCW) and non-HCW worker benefits for eligible claims from 2020 to 2023.
This amount covered the grant of Special Risk Allowance, HEA, COVID-19 Sickness and Death Compensation, and other benefits, such as meal, accommodation, and transportation allowances.
During the hearings of the Senate鈥檚 committee on health and demography on April 2 and May 20, 2024, the DOH requested additional funds worth P27.453 billion to fully cover the requirements of the PHEBA Program.
In July last year, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman approved the release of a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) amounting to P27.453 billion to cover the full amount of the PHEBA arrears鈥� final computation.
鈥淎ccordingly, the Advice of SARO specifically provides that the allotment release therein shall cover the full funding requirements for the PHEBA of eligible healthcare and non-healthcare workers, based on the submitted report dated April 26, 2024,鈥� the joint statement read.
鈥淭his is the final and validated computation by the DOH based on submissions before a set deadline. Consistent with the discussions and agreements, any additional funding requirements for the same purpose, if any, shall be charged against the DOH鈥檚 available budget,鈥� it added.
They further said that the PHEBA requirements now amount to P110.30 billion as of December 12, 2024, instead of the earlier reported P103.5 billion.
鈥淭hus, an additional funding requirement of P6.8 billion, in addition to the P121.325 billion cumulative funding provided for the benefits and compensation claims, is requested,鈥� it said.
The DBM and the DOH also said that the latter agreed to finalize the list of HEA recipients to resolve the longstanding concern once and for all.