Senator Christopher “Bong” Go is urging the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Health (DoH) to expedite the payment of Health Emergency Allowance for healthcare workers who served during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The lawmaker said that while progress has been made, many qualified healthcare workers still have not been paid. Go, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and a co-author of the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act, said he has held numerous hearings to ensure the law is fully implemented.

“Finally last year, P27 billion was paid. This is for services rendered, they worked and sweated for this,” Go said, recalling the long process before funds were disbursed.

Go said that while the P27 billion was a significant step, there are still P6.7 billion worth of pending appeals from healthcare workers who have yet to receive their allowance. “This is for services rendered,” he stressed. “That’s why I’m calling on the DBM and DoH to address this and pay them.”