Dela Rosa pushes for Incentives and benefits for private sector health workers

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is pushing for benefits for health workers in the private sector with Senate Bill No. 1534, which he filed on May 18.

Dela Rosa said private sector health workers are modern day heroes along with public health workers.

“In a line of work which is service oriented, there should be no distinction as to whether a health worker is public and private. Health care transcends all social statuses,” he said.

The senator pointed out that, while private sector health workers are fewer than public sector health workers, they deserve ample benefits and incentives considering the same sacrifice they made to ensure the best of health for all Filipinos.

Dela Rosa’s bill cited Department of Health (DOH) data from 2019 that showed health workers making up 35% or 66,433 out of 189,294 total health care workers in the country. 

“While public health workers are protected by Republic Act 7305 or the ‘Magna Carta for Public Health Workers’, those who work for private health institutions seem to have nowhere and no one to turn to except their employers,” he said. 

The senator also said health care workers topped the list of people whose jobs are considered essential especially at this time. 

“Health workers and their well-being are essential factors in protecting the people’s right to health. Laws protecting the welfare of health workers must be afforded to all health workers regardless as to whether they are publicly or privately employed,” he said.

Dela Rosa’s bill proposes the following incentives and benefits for private health workers:

1. Health Workers Allowance of up to P5,000.00 per month

2. Special Risk Allowance equivalent to a maximum of 25% of monthly basic salary for those who have great exposure to occupational risks;

3. Subsistence Cash Allowance of not less than P75.00 per meal when they rendered actual work;

4. Living Quarters’ Allowance which may be in cash or in kind, for those who are required to stay in or near hospital premises;

5. Cash benefit of P100,000.00 for health workers who may be injured or may contract any disease while in the performance of their duties; and cash benefit of P1,000,000.00 for health workers who may die while performing their duty.