Cash benefits for medical frontliners hinges on Bayanihan 2 law

HEALTH WORKERS who are at the frontlines of the coronavirus fight may not get cash benefits if they fall critically ill or die from the disease without the passage of the proposed Bayanihan 2 law. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire said they intend to continue giving cash benefits to affected health care workers, but there has to be a law that would direct it after the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act expired last month. “Hanggang hindi natin napapatupad

or nakakapaglabas uli ng another law for such para maging basis natin, mahihirapan kaming makapaglabas ng ganyang amount (Until we have another law to use as basis, we will have difficulties releasing such amounts),” she said in a virtual briefing. Under the expired Bayanihan law, the families of frontliners who died in the line of duty received P1 million, while those who were infected and classified as severe cases got P100,000 each. Department of Health data as of June 29 show 3,372 health care workers have contracted the disease, 34 of them died.

SPECIAL SESSION

Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque on Thursday said President Rodrigo R. Duterte will call for a special session for the passage of the Bayanihan 2 law, possibly before he delivers his 5th State of the Nation Address at the end of the month. Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said the House of Representatives is ready to pass the proposed Bayanihan 2, which extends the special powers granted to Mr. Duterte to address the coronavirus virus crisis as well as outlines response and economic recovery measures. “The House leadership under Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano is committed to approve the Bayanihan to Recover as One Bill,” Mr. Romualdez said in a statement. Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III on June 30 said the executive department has transmitted to the Finance committee its proposed amendments to the measure. The bill includes a P140-billion standby fund to grant emergency subsidies to low income households, cash-for-work programs, and capital infusion to government financial institutions, among other assistance. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Charmaine A. Tadalan,

and Gillian M. Cortez