• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Health workers of nine hospitals managed by the provincial government of Negros Occidental are yet to receive their Health Emergency Allowance from the Department of Health, Randy Peacita, president of the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE), disclosed on Thursday.
Peacita said that DOH Western Visayas has not yet downloaded the budget for the HEA of the hospital personnel of Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, and district hospitals in Cadiz, Valladolid, La Carlota, Himamaylan, Isabela, Kabankalan, Hinobaan, and Sipalay.
The unclaimed HEA covers the periods from August to December 2021, and January to July 2023.
At the TLJPH in Silay City alone, Peacita said it has more or less 600 health workers.
He added that personnel of the Provincial Health Office and local government managed hospitals, such as the Alfredo Marañon Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Sagay City, already received their HEA.
The provincial government of Negros Occidental has turned over the management of Dr. Vicente Gustilo Memorial Hospital to the city government of Escalante, as well the Calatrava Municipal Hospital to the concerned local government unit.
As stipulated in the provisions of RA 11712, health workers assigned in high risk medical facilities, such as Cadiz District Hospital, which was designated as the COVID hospital in Negros Occidental, are entitled to receive P9,000 HEA for every month, P6,000 for medium risk areas, and P3,000 for low risk areas.*