Senate pushes for additional pay for health workers fighting COVID-19
MANILA, Philippines — Senators are pushing for additional financial support for health workers, frontliners in the government’s fight to curb the deadly novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Sen. Richard Gordon said that the Senate body adopted his proposal to amend the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” to give P100,000 to private and public healthcare workers who were infected with the virus in line of duty.
Families of healthcare workers who died due to the virus meanwhile will be given P1 million.
FINALLY! The Senate has adopted our amendments!
— Richard J. Gordon (@DickGordonDG) March 23, 2020
Kung kinaya ito ng ibang bansa, kaya rin natin. To the Filipino people – YES, WE CAN AND YES, WE WILL. Fight we must, win we must. #COVID19PH #PHWillWin #FightPH ???????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/NccaqC5RdR
The Senate past midnight of Tuesday adopted Senate 1148 or the “Bayanihan to Heal As One” authored by Senate President Tito Sotto III and Sen. Pia Cayetano.
The proposed measure would authorize President Rodrigo Duterte to undertake extraordinary measures to contain COVID-19 and mobilize at least P200 billion to help over 24 million mostly-poor families.
“Health workers are manning the frontlines of this battle, some have sadly lost their lives... We thank them, for their selfless and courageous services,” Cayetano said in her sponsorship speech.
‘Special risk allowance’
Senators also adopted a proposal to give a ‘special risk allowance’ to healthcare workers.
Sen. Grace Poe suggested the grant of a “special risk allowance” to healthcare workers, on top of the hazard pay they are mandated to receive as held by the law.
Poe stressed that the health professionals are “facing a different kind of hazard” that is deadly.
Under the Republic Act 7305 or the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, “public health workers...under state of calamity or emergency for the duration thereof which expose them to great danger, contagion...or perils to life as determined by the Secretary of Health...shall be compensated hazard allowances.”
The hazard allowance is equivalent to at least 25% of their monthly basic salary for public health workers with salary grade 19 and below, and 5% for those with salary grade 20 and above.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson said he supports Poe’s proposal, but moved to use a “different nomenclature,” pointing out that it may be against the law to give hazard pay twice.
The new coronavirus has infected 462 people and killed 33 in the Philippines. — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from Gaea Katreena Cabico
Photo shows members of the Philippine National Police deployed in Manila amid COVID-19 threat. The STAR/Edd Gumban
President Rodrigo Duterte on March 16, 2020 declares an enhanced community quarantine over all of mainland Luzon, an expansion of an earlier general community quarantine over the National Capital Region.
The entire National Capital Region—16 cities and a municipality—is under community quarantine from March 15 to April 14, which means the enforcement of social distancing measures like letting fewer people on public transportation, reduced store hours, and the possibiity of curfews.
According to a memorandum issued by the Palace on Saturday, March 14, the quarantine means that "movement of people shall be limited to accessing basic necessities and work; and uniformed personnel and quarantine officers shall be present at border points."
Travel restrictions in and out of the capital will also be implemented.
A labor group says another lockdown will never resolve rising COVID-19 cases in the Philippines after the government announced that Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal are placed under the enhanced community quarantine starting Monday.
“The Duterte government seems to be deliberate in focusing its efforts in imposing quarantine and lockdown measures instead of addressing the rising cases of COVID-19 and the worsening state of the pandemic through medical solutions and scientific approach,” says Defend Jobs Philippines.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque says the implementation of enhanced community quarantine is meant to slow down the increase of COVID-19 cases, so hospitals and health workers will not be overwhelmed.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announces that Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal are placed under enhanced community quarantine starting Monday, March 29.
Tuguegarao City will be placed under enhanced community quarantine from January 20 to 29 due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the city.
Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba approved the request of Tuguegarao Mayor Jefferson Soriano to place the city under ECQ for 10 days.
According to the Cagayan Provincial Information Office, the city currently has 246 active cases.
BREAKING NEWS | ENERO 19, 2021 RIATF INAPRUBAHAN NA ANG PAGSASAILALIM SA TUGUEGARAO CITY SA 10-ARAW NA...
Posted by Cagayan Provincial Information Office on Tuesday, 19 January 2021
Batangas, one of the provinces hardest hit by the novel coronavirus, has reported no new cases of the disease for two consecutive days.
The provincial DOH Office says the number of COVID-19 cases in the province stood at 91 with no new cases as of Wednesday afternoon.
Lipa City has the most cases with 26, followed by Batangas City (21) and Nasugbu (11).
Tanauan City has the fourth most cases with eight, followed by Bauan (5) and Alitagtag (3). Cuenca and Sto. Tomas City had two cases each, while the municipalities of Calaca, Lemery, Lian, Lobo, Mabini, Mataas na Kahoy, Padre Garcia, San Jose, San Juan, San Pascual and Taal had one case each, respectively. — The Filipino Connection
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