Health workers in SARS-hit areas to get 25% pay hike

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has recommended a hazard pay for health workers handling patients afflicted with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said the recommended amount is equivalent to 25 percent of the workers’ monthly take home pay.

The DOLE, she said, is negotiating with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on the possibility of funding the proposed salary increase for health workers, which will amount to P10 million.

"Our computation as to the package of benefits for health workers administering suspected or confirmed SARS patients would probably cost P10 million," she said.

This, she said, was based on the assumption that the country would be dealing with the SARS problem for three months.

Last May 1, President Arroyo ordered concerned government agencies to come up with appropriate financial benefits for the estimated 100,000 health workers who are facing the risk of acquiring the deadly disease through contact with SARS patients.

"We have submitted to the President our proposal on the granting of hazard pay to local health workers but we are yet to receive feedback on whether it was approved or not," Sto. Tomas said.

The labor chief revealed though that not all health workers would be covered by the proposed pay hike because doing so would require an even bigger budget.

She said those who will be entitled to receive hazard pay are government and private health workers in areas declared by the Department of Health (DOH) as SARS-affected.

"Our intention in giving out hazard pay for health workers is to assure them that the government is ready to help in dealing with the SARS problem," Sto. Tomas said.

The DOH has so far recorded 10 SARS cases in the country, including two deaths. Among the 10 confirmed cases were health workers who attended to the two SARS fatalities – Adela Catalon, the nursing attendant from Canada, and her father Mauricio Catalon.