Joint admin order for immediate cash distribution formulated and signed by DOLE, DOH, DBM after warning, ultimatum from Pres. Duterte
(Eagle News) – The Department of Health reported that it had already started distributing the “death benefit checks” worth P1 million each to the families of the 32 health care workers who have died due to COVID-19.
In a virtual presser on Friday, June 5, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the first death benefit check was distributed on Thursday night and that 10 more are scheduled for distribution to families of health care worker heroes in Metro Manila.
This was after Department of Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III formulated and signed on Thursday, June 4, a Joint Administrative Order that will speed up the distribution of cash benefits to health care workers and their families.
In JAO 2020-0001 dated June 4, it said that 100,000 would be given to public and private health workers who may contract severe COVID-19 infection while in the line of duty,” while P1 million will be given to families of health care workers who died while fighting COVID-19.
The said administrative order contained the implementing guidelines for the cash ditstribution. It was formulated and signed on Thursday, after no less than President Rodrigo Duterte had expressed anger about the more than two months delay in the distribution of cash benefits for health care workers, the primary heroes in the fight against COVID-19.
“Kagabi din po ang unang death benefit check ay inabot ni Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo and Roger Tong-an sa mga naulila ng isa sa ating health care worker heroes,” Vergeire said
“Sampung pamilya naman po ang kasalukuyang papadalhan ngayon sa National Capital Region. At dalawa naman ang napadalhan na sa Region 11. At ang iba naman ay naibigay na sa ating centers for health development at sa ating mga regional offices,” Vergeire said.
-Duque visits families of health care workers who died due to COVID-19-
She said that Health Secretary Duque himself was the one who visited the families of the health care workers to extend his and the department’s condolences and to give them their cash benefit.
“Mismong ang ating secretary na si Francisco Duque III ang nagtungo sa mga pamilyang nawalan ng mahal sa buhay para makiramay at iabot ang tulong sa kanila,” Vergeire said.
She said that the DOH malasakit program office was the office designated to administer the distribution of the cash benefits to health care workers and their families.
Vergeire said that that DOH is also coordinating with the families to guide them on the documents that needed to be submitted so that they could claim their benefits.
(Eagle News Service)
