Senator Richard Gordon on Saturday welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for the delayed allowances and benefits of medical frontliners to be paid within 10 days, saying this was a significant development.
“We welcome the President’s order and we are glad that finally, our hardworking healthcare workers will get their additional pay and benefits that have been long overdue,” Gordon said in a statement.
Duterte earlier ordered Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to pay healthcare workers from public and private hospitals as well as vaccinators who volunteered for the vaccination program.
The order came days after the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into the funds for health workers’ benefits.
“We have been fighting for our healthcare workers’ welfare for so long as we recognize their role as very important to public health especially during the health crisis that we are currently dealing with,” Gordon said.
“This is a very significant development to our investigation and we will not stop until the other issues concerning our health workers are resolved,” he added.
On August 18, the committee held a motu propio probe into the alleged deficiencies found by the Commission on Audit in the Department of Health’s utilization of its P67.32-billion COVID-19 fund.
“By providing our nurses with just salaries and benefits, we are not just giving them justice, but our people in need of better health care, as well,” Gordon said. — DVM, GMA News
0 Comments