The Department of Health (DOH) has welcomed the move of President Duterte to sign into law a measure that grants mandatory continuing benefits to the country’s medical workers during public health emergencies.

Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11712 or the “Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act” last April 27.

Based on Section 4 of the said law, this “apply to all health care and non-health care workers, regardless of employment status, during the Covid-19 or other public health emergencies of national scale that may be declared in the future.”

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that they “fully support” this measure.

“Napakabuti po at napakaganda nitong batas na nilagdaan ng ating Presidente, dahil hindi na po natin kailangan magsumite pa ng iba’t ibang panukalang batas kapag nagkakaroon tayo ng health emergency (This law signed by our President is admirable because we no longer need to submit different bills when we have a health emergency),” she said.

“Ito po ay automatic na mabibigyan na natin ang ating mga healthcare workers ng mga kaukulang benepisyo kapag may public health emergency, at may pera na rin pong naka-allocate sa kanila. Hindi na po natin kailangang maghanap pa ng mga budget para sa kanila (We can automatically give our healthcare workers the corresponding benefits when there is a public health emergency, and there is a fund allocated to them. We don’t have to look for an additional budget),” she added.

“So, ito pong nilagdaan na batas will really help us para po ma-facilitate natin at maibigay natin ang appropriate benefits ng ating mga (this signed law will really help us in facilitating and providing the appropriate benefits to our) health workers during these times of emergency,” she furthered.

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