DOH launches One COVID-19 Allowance for health workers

The Department of Health (DOH) launched a new 'One COVID-19 Allowance' program to provide more inclusive compensation for healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Under the OCA, previous benefits like special risk allowance and active hazard duty pay will be discontinued and replaced with an equitably distributed system based on risk levels: high, moderate, and low.

The DOH issued Administrative Order No. 2022-0001 to outline guidelines for determining workers' risk levels, with high-risk workers including those directly involved in patient care, treatment, transport, swabbing, vaccination, and testing.

In addition, the DOH was allocated PHP1.08 billion from the General Appropriations Act 2022 for sickness and death benefits to healthcare workers who contracted COVID-19 on duty.