NEWS | Senators and health workers denounce DOH budget cut for 2021
By Sean Gere Pascual
OPPOSITION SENATORS CRITICIZED THE DUTERTE administration’s proposal to cut ₱49 billion for the Department of Health’s (DOH) budget in 2021 amid the public health crisis. Different health groups also conveyed their disappointments as they felt neglected on the budget allocation.
Hidden motive
On September 24, Senator Franklin Drilonin said in an interview that the 2021 national budget was crafted as if there’s no pandemic in the country, reiterating that the budget cut is not responsive to the people’s needs. According to him, Malacañang only allocated ₱131 billion for DOH next year. This is ₱49 billion less than its current budget of ₱180 billion despite the expectations for more vaccine expenditures.
The minority leader insisted that the budget cut should not be justified by the DOH Secretary Franscisco Duque’s involvement in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) corruption scandal as the country’s worsening situation requires more budget for the health sector.
“We need more budget for DOH because our problem right now is the pandemic. If the people do not trust the government’s capability to address the pandemic, the economy will not be vibrant again,” Drilon said. “We should put more funds to the health sector. The corruption in PhilHealth was really bad, but that’s a different problem.”
The lifeblood of hospitals
Health group the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) argued that the impending budget cut for the DOH would lessen the budget allocated for government hospitals, exacerbating the condition of patients and health workers. AHW specified that the current proposal will also cut the budget on Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) of 23 public tertiary hospitals nationwide with a total amount of ₱1.2 billion.
Robert Mendoza, AHW President, stated that MOOE is the lifeblood in the operations of hospitals and health facilities. In order to effectively serve the people, its budget should not be reduced especially in this time of pandemic and crisis.
Mendoza also revealed that MOOE of COVID-19 referral hospitals like Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez “Tala” Memorial Hospital and Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) were cut by ₱8.3 Million and ₱12.29 million respectively.
“The cut of MOOE or the health budget of the hospitals amidst pandemic means that the DOH and the Duterte administration are neglecting the people’s right to health and life,” Mendoza stressed.
Plea of health workers
Furthermore, AHW called for more budget allocation on the benefits and salaries of health workers. They expressed how the 2021 health budget made the health workers feel insulted and neglected because hazard pays and risk allowances were left out in the proposal.
In a statement, AHW declared their demands to the Duterte administration, which includes the restoration of the budget cut in MOOE, allotment of additional budget for the benefits of health workers, and a ₱500 COVID-19 hazard pay per day on top of the regular hazard pay under RA 7305 and Special Risk Allowance (SRA).
Earlier today, the House of Representatives passed the proposed ₱4.5 trillion budget for 2021 after its second reading. In line with this, Vice President Leni Robredo stressed the need for utmost preparation for the massive deployment of health-related responses, such as the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine. Robredo urged the national government to allocate the budget in a strategic way by properly determining where it is needed the most.
