Gordon welcomes Senate's approval of measure granting addt'l benefits for health workers

Senator Richard J. Gordon welcomed the passing on third reading of Senate Bill No. 2421, a measure that he authored and co-sponsored, which extends the granting of COVID-19 benefits to both public and private healthcare workers.

Gordon, the vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, said that he hopes that the continued awarding of monetary benefits to healthcare workers could serve as morale-booster to them.

"I just wanted to thank the whole Senate for passing this bill, this is a very badly-needed measure that will boost the morale of our healthcare workers," mentioned Gordon during his speech on Monday.

"This will mean people in the wards are not the only one to get the allowances but those who are also in the emergency facilities, pag nadaanan doon sa may COVID, dapat masama sila sa mga emergency allowances na 'yan," he added.

It may be recalled that Gordon was able to successfully include the allotment of the special risk allowance (SRA) for healthcare workers in the Php 5.024-trillion 2022 national budget.

As chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, Gordon had repeatedly lamented and called for the awarding of long-delayed SRA and other allowances to healthcare workers.

Gordon, along with other senators, struck a dialogue with healthcare workers in mid-August 2021, where they were able to hear their problems.

The senator was thanked by his colleagues for acting immediately by filing the bill, which was consolidated in SB 2421.

"We would like to thank Sen. Gordon for acting swiftly after our meeting some time in mid-August with the frontliners. I will never forget that one of the resource persons was in tears," remarked Senator Francis Pangilinan.

Under the consolidated measure, healthcare workers at low risk of contracting COVID-19 will be awarded Php 3,000 in allowances per month, Php 6,000 for medium-risk individuals, and Php 9,000 for high-risk workers.