A party-list lawmaker on Thursday called on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Department of Health (DOH) to make sure all remaining personnel service funds from the 2021 General Appropriations Act are released before December 24.

BHW party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co stressed the need for the timely release of special risk allowance (SRA) for health workers from the public and private sectors as Christmas is less than two months away.

“Christmas is less than two months away and health care front-liners are still waiting for the special risk allowance and other compensation plus benefits due them under applicable laws,” Co said in a statement.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said PHP16 billion worth of benefits has been distributed to all healthcare workers as of Oct. 20.

“Kasama rito ang pinakabagong ulat ng ating pamamahagi ng (It includes the new report of our distribution of) special risk allowance at (and) Covid-19 sickness and death compensation,” Duque said.

Compared to Oct. 11 data and monitoring, Duque said the funds downloaded for the special risk allowance of Batch 3 and Batch 4 healthcare workers have slightly increased.

“Ang naipamahagi na nasa humigit-kumulang na 55,000 healthcare workers ay nasa PHP735 million na po at mula sa huling ulat PHP617 million (We have distributed to more or less 55,000 healthcare workers around PHP735 million and from the last report of PHP617 million),” he said.

“At para naman sa sickness and death compensation, mula sa PHP604 million, nasa PHP613 million na ang ating naipamahagi para sa mga healthcare workers na nagkaroon ng mild, moderate, at severe to critical na kaso ng (And for the sickness and death compensation, from PHP604 million, we have distributed PHP613 million for our healthcare workers who had mild, moderate, and severe to critical symptoms) Covid-19,” he added.

The distributed amount also included the benefits of healthcare workers who died from Covid-19.

“They said before the funds released so far were initial, so now we give them the last benefit of the doubt and tell them to release those personnel services funds now,” Co said. (PNA)