The Department of Health (DOH) has distributed checks to the families of 29 healthcare workers who died of Covid-19 in the line of duty, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during Saturday’s Laging Handa briefing.
“Naibigay na ho ang tseke sa 29 na heirs. Tatlo na lang po ang gagawin natin ngayong araw para makumpleto po iyong listahan natin at maibigay ang benepisyo na iyan,” Vergeire said.
President Rodrigo Duterte told the DOH on June 4 to finish the distribution of benefits to Covid-hit health workers by June 9.
Vergeire added that the DOH would distribute cash assistance to the 79 health workers who had contracted the disease in the coming days.
“Iyong data base po namin ng 79 workers ay nakaayos na rin po. And maybe in the coming days, maibibigay na rin po natin agad-agad itong kompensasyon na ito,” she said.
Health workers who contract Covid-19 are eligible for P100,000 in cash aid, while families of those who die of the disease will receive P1 million, according to the Bayanihan Act.
Duterte instructed Duque on Thursday to form a team that would focus on the immediate delivery of the assistance to health workers, after the health chief blamed his staff for the delay in the distribution. John Ezekiel J. Hirro