ILOILO – The long-awaited One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA) for healthcare workers and provincial government-hired vaccinators has been released.
The Department of Health (DOH) downloaded P19,646,345 to the Iloilo provincial government on June 7, 2023.
“Ang mga empleyado sang IPHO [Iloilo Provincial Health Office], HMO [Hospital Management Office], and tanan nga Iloilo provincial government-hired vaccinators nakabaton na sang ila OCA halin sang January up to June,” IPHO head Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon said.
A total of 1,142 health workers and vaccinators received their OCA for May 2022 while 1,1239 health workers and vaccinators received their June 2022 OCA.
There were two remaining vaccinators in the province who did not receive their OCA for the said period, which the provincial government is appealing for a budget to the DOH.
“We also appeal for provincial guards sa province of Iloilo nga mahatagan man sang DOH sang ila allocation for OCA kay wala namon na-include sa primero,” Quiñon added.
In February, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. wrote to the DOH-6 requesting that it expedite the release of OCA.
“We are writing your good office regarding the status of the One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA) due for the health workers of the Provincial Health Office and Hospital Management Office of the Iloilo provincial government (IPG), including the vaccinators hired and deployed by the IPG for the year 2022,” read part of the letter.
To recall, the OCA claims for the months of January, February, March, and April of last year were only released earlier this year.
During the second State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on July 24, he assured to fast-track the release of OCA.
“Upang masuklian naman natin ang naging sakripisyo ng ating mga health workers sa pribado at pampubliko na mga ospital noong nakaraang pandemya, ipapamahagi na sa kanila ang kanilang COVID health emergency allowance at iba pang mga nabinbing benepisyo,” the President said./PN
