Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, pressed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Health (DOH) to explore all possible avenues to settle the remaining unpaid Health Emergency Allowances (HEA) for healthcare workers.
“Pinasalamatan ko ang ating healthcare workers na hanggang ngayon ay patuloy na nagsasakripisyo para isalba ang buhay ng mga kapwa nila Pilipino. Ipinaalala ko rin na dapat nang mabayaran ang hindi pa nila nakukuha na allowances na itinakda sa Republic Act 11712, o ang Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers,” Go has appealed numerous times being one of the authors and co-sponsors of the law.
During a Senate hearing on February 12, Senator Go underscored that the government has a moral and financial obligation to compensate healthcare workers for their services rendered during the pandemic.
“Pinagpawisan po nila ito, pinaghirapan. Ibigay n’yo na po ‘yung sweldo nila dahil para naman po ito sa Pilipino kesa mapunta pa sa ibang mga proyekto na hindi naman prayoridad,” Senator Go said. “Ito, pinagpawisan talaga. Hero natin ang mga health workers sa panahon ng pandemya.”
According to DOH Undersecretary Achilles Bravo, the PhP 27 billion previously allocated for HEA had already been downloaded to regional offices, with only about 10% pending disbursement due to documentation issues.
However, he revealed that new claims amounting to PhP 6.7 billion have surfaced from appeals and reconsideration requests after the initial deadline.
“As of today, ang total request na natanggap ng DOH is already PhP 6.7 billion,” Bravo reported. “Tumaas na.”
He further disclosed that while DOH requested an additional PhP 5 billion from DBM last October to cover these new claims, the request was denied due to budget constraints. Congress and the Senate later included a PhP 2.5 billion allocation for HEA in the 2025 budget, but it was ultimately vetoed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Senator Go expressed dismay over the vetoed provision, emphasizing that the HEA is not a discretionary fund but compensation for work that healthcare workers had already done.
“Sayang naman. Services rendered ito. Pinagpawisan, pinaghirapan ito ng mga kababayan natin,” he lamented.
Given that the 2026 budget proposal is the earliest opportunity to include additional HEA funding, Senator Go urged DBM and DOH to identify alternative sources of funds within the current year’s budget to provide healthcare workers what has been due to them.
“How about the current year? Meron bang remedyo? Meron bang legal basis na pagkukunan? If ever lang po. If ever na maawa ang DBM at ang DOH sa mga health workers natin?” he inquired.
DBM representative Mark James Evangelista explained that while part of last year’s HEA payments had been sourced from unprogrammed allocations, this was not included in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA). He recommended that DOH explore modifications in their existing budgetary allocations, as DBM has no available appropriations for additional HEA disbursements.
“In-encourage nga po namin ang agency to utilize or modify their available allotment from their existing PAPs (Programs, Activities, and Projects),” Evangelista said.
Despite these explanations, Senator Go pushed DBM to prioritize the issue, reiterating that healthcare workers should not be made to wait indefinitely for their rightful compensation.
“Please lang sa DBM, I’m appealing… Please iparating mo sa iyong mga boss sa DBM, sa DOH. Bigyan natin sila ng pag-asa,” he said.
Ronald Ignacio, representing the United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines (UPHUP), expressed disappointment over the veto of the PhP 2.5 billion HEA allocation, particularly in light of the funding granted to other programs.
“Based on what [the President] said during his inauguration, sabi po niya is there will be changes starting tomorrow. And for him to veto ‘yung para sa amin na PhP 2 billion sana, nakakalungkot po sa amin ‘yan,” Ignacio said.
“Pinagpawisan na po namin ‘yun, deserve po namin. Nakakainggit nga po na ‘yung ibang proyekto… amounts to a total of PhP 132 billion na pondohan po, napakasagana. Pero sa amin na PhP 6.7 billion po, na-veto pa,” Ignacio lamented.
Senator Go echoed the frustrations of healthcare workers and stressed that their pandemic sacrifices should not be disregarded.
“Pinagpaguran n’yo ito. Talagang nagtrabaho kayo dito… Talagang pinaghirapan ninyo. Pinagpawisan, pinaghirapan. Ang iba sa inyo, namatay. Ang iba, nagkasakit,” he said.
Beyond the immediate HEA concerns, Ignacio also urged lawmakers to address other pressing issues in the healthcare sector, including hazard pay for private hospital workers and the proposed Magna Carta for private hospital employees.
Senator Go assured healthcare workers that he would continue to advocate for their welfare.
“Ipaglalaban ko po ang ating mga health workers, lalung-lalo na po ‘yung mga maliliit na mga kababayan natin, ‘yung mga mahirap. Iyon naman po ang isinusulong ko, ‘yung mga programang makakatulong sa mga kababayan natin,” he affirmed.
With the fate of the pending HEA claims uncertain, healthcare workers are left waiting for a resolution while Senator Go continues to push for government action.
“Huwag po kayo mawala ng pag-asa,” he urged. “You have the avenue. Nandito po ang committee na ito para sa inyong mga hinaing.”
