The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to date has already released a total of P91.283 billion for the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA) covering all healthcare workers' benefits from 2021 to 2023.

The funds were released to the Department of Health (DOH), as the implementing agency, in the following years:

2021: P12.1 billion
2022: P28 billion
2023: P31.1 billion
2024: P19.962 billion

In a letter to the DOH, the DBM noted that it has already released a total of P91.283 billion for PHEBA, including some P73.26 billion for Health Emergency Allowance (HEA)/One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA), P12.90 billion for Special Risk Allowance (SRA), P3.65 billion for COVID-19 Sickness and Death Compensation, and P1.4 billion for other benefits, such as meal, accommodation, and transportation allowance.

Per the DOH report, out of the said amount, the agency was able to release a total of P76 billion.

In a meeting held earlier this year between the DBM and the DOH, it was agreed that there is a need for the DOH to urgently finalize the computation of the HEA claims in arrears to enable the DBM to determine if additional funding requirements are necessary despite the cumulatively released PHEBA allocations for our healthcare and non-healthcare workers.

DBM suggested that the DOH develop a HEA mapping that will capture and present all PHEBA claims and payments by Region/Health Facilities for the period covered by the benefit. The information gathered from the HEA mapping shall be used in expediting final determination of the amount of deficiency to cover the full settlement of arrears. The DBM likewise recommended that the said record be published in the DOH website for transparency to all claimants and stakeholders alike.

The DOH committed to submit the aforementioned HEA mapping with the final amount of computed PHEBA deficiencies not later than March this year, subject to the DBM’s validation based on submitted documents and the amounts reflected in the Health Emergency Allowance Processing System.

 

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Naglabas na ang Department of Budget and Management (DBM) ng kabuuang P91.283 bilyon para sa Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA) na sumasaklaw sa lahat ng benepisyo ng healthcare workers mula 2021 hanggang 2023.

Ang mga pondo ay inilabas sa Department of Health (DOH), bilang implementing agency, sa mga sumusunod na taon:

2021: P12.1 billion
2022: P28 billion
2023: P31.1 billion
2024: P19.962 billion

Sa isang liham sa DOH, binanggit ng DBM na nakapaglabas na ito ng kabuuang P91.283 bilyon para sa PHEBA, kabilang ang P73.26 bilyon para sa Health Emergency Allowance (HEA)/One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA), P12. 90 bilyon para sa Special Risk Allowance (SRA), P3.65 bilyon para sa COVID-19 Sickness and Death Compensation, at P1.4 bilyon para sa iba pang benepisyo, tulad ng meal, accommodation, at transportation allowance.

Sa ulat ng DOH, mula sa nasabing halaga, nakapaglabas ang ahensya ng kabuuang P76 bilyon.

Sa pulong sa pagitan ng DBM at DOH na ginanap sa unang bahagi ng taong ito, napagkasunduan na kailangan ng DOH na agarang tapusin ang pag-compute ng mga claim sa HEA na arrears upang matukoy ng DBM kung kinakailangan ng karagdagang pondo sa kabila ng pinagsama-samang inilabas na mga alokasyon ng PHEBA para sa ating mga healthcare at non-healthcare workers.

Iminungkahi ng DBM na bumuo ang DOH ng HEA mapping na kukuha at magpapakita ng lahat ng mga claim at pagbabayad ng PHEBA ng Rehiyon/Health Facilities para sa panahong saklaw ng benepisyo. Ang impormasyong nakalap mula sa HEA mapping ay dapat gamitin sa pagpapabilis ng pinal na pagpapasiya ng halaga ng kakulangan upang masakop ang buong settlement of arrears. Inirekomenda rin ng DBM na ang nasabing record ay mailathala sa website ng DOH para sa transparency sa lahat ng claimants at stakeholders.

Nangako ang DOH na isusumite ang nabanggit na HEA mapping na may pinal na halaga ng nakalkulang mga kakulangan sa PHEBA nang hindi lalampas sa Marso ngayong taon, subject sa validation ng DBM batay sa mga isinumiteng dokumento at ang mga halagang makikita sa Health Emergency Allowance Processing System.

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