MANILA – Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Friday that the head of hospitals would be liable if there were any wrongful release of benefits promised to healthcare workers catering to COVID-19 patients.
“‘Yun pong mga hospital chiefs, may accountability ‘yang mga ‘yan. In fact meron po silang COA (Commission on Audit). Ang COA mismo nila ang makakatukoy kung mali ang pagbibigay ng benepisyo na ‘yon, kulang ba o di ba sang ayon ngayon sa mga panuntunan,” Duque said in a House hearing on the Department of Health’s (DOH) use of pandemic funds.
“So, ‘yang accountability na ‘yan kapag nakita na nagkamali sila, they’re liable. They can be issued notice of disallowance. In the end, they will be the ones to pay kung ano man ang natanggap at mali ang naibigay. Ang head chief of the hospital will be the accountable officer,” he added.
Before this, Ang Probinsyano Rep. Alfred delos Santos raised to DOH officials concerns of some medical frontliners, who reported that those in direct contact with COVID-19 patients have yet to receive their special risk allowance (SRA), while hospital staff who are just working in offices have already received theirs.
In response, DOH Assistant Secretary Maylene Beltran said it is the “primary responsibility” of the head of a health facility to create a master list of healthcare workers eligible for the SRA and other benefits.
“We are always guided by the law itself and various admin issuances with the DBM joint circular in terms of monitoring. We have their regional director who is working closely with the health facilities in each specific region,” Beltran added.(©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2021)
