"Don't Resign," Nurses Asked

Malacañang appealed Monday night to the country’s nurses and other healthcare workers not to resign, assuring they will soon receive their special risk allowance (SRA) as early as next week.

Photo Insert: On the commute home. A Filipina nurse makes her way up one of the pedestrian overpasses in Quezon City after a grueling week of duty as her husband helps carry her bags.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte himself gave the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) at least “10 days” to release funds for the distribution of healthcare workers’ benefits, according to a PNA report.

“Nag-order naman po ang Presidente na within 10 days from last Friday ay kinakailangan maibigay na itong mga special risk allowance (The President already ordered to release the special risk allowance within 10 days from last Friday),” he said in a press conference in SM City San Mateo.

Roque warned that mass resignations would also spell trouble for them, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic-related job losses. He said the government may also have difficulty looking for additional sources of funding to compensate them.

“Kapag nag-resign po sila, dadami iyong hanay na walang trabaho sa panahon ng pandemya, mas lalala po ang problema natin kung mas maraming walang trabaho sa panahon ng pandemya at wala naman po tayong karagdagang ayuda ng maibibigay (If they resign, there will be more people without jobs in the time of the pandemic, our problem will worsen if there are more jobless individuals and we do not have additional cash aid to give),” he added.

In a pre-recorded Talk to the People aired on Saturday, Duterte directed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to use its available funds and look for other sources of funding to compensate healthcare workers.

“I am committed to leading our nation out of this pandemic, with the help of front-line institutions so that we can be victorious… Secretary Duque, bayaran mo (pay [the medical front-liners]). Use whatever money there is. Bayaran mo ‘yung hinihingi ng mga nurses (Give what the nurses are asking for), both in government and those outside of government volunteers,” Duterte said.

WEEKLY FEATURE : PAL READY TO SOAR WITH PANDEMIC