16-month HEA for release this January

THE Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) for healthcare and non-healthcare workers is expected to be released by January 2025.

This was how Councilor Maria Lourdes S. Gaane, chair of the City Council committee on health, nutrition, and health insurance, assured Councilor Imee Rose P. Moreno, who expressed concerns over the delayed distribution of HEA to employees who served as front-liners during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Daghan na nawala sa City Hall, and they are relying on the HEA,” Moreno said in her special report.

“We can remember during the COVID grabe ang atong pasalamat sa atong mga volunteers, healthcare and non-healthcare workers, na sila ang nahimong frontliners, sila ang everyday ga trabaho while we were at home. I believe that this is fitting na atong i-prioritize na maibalik sa ila what is due to them,” Moreno added.

In response, Councilor Gaane provided an update, revealing that approximately P60 Million in funds for the HEA had been downloaded and received by the city government in December 2024.

The amount covers 16 months of allowances, from December 2021, April 2022, June to December 2022, and January to July 2023.

“Just last week, we had a meeting with Dr. Dilla, and she reported that the amount of P60 million, more or less, was downloaded and received by the city government only last December 2024. Unfortunately, naghimo na sila ug ready na ang payroll before the release, but gibalik sa accounting ang payroll kay tungod giisa-isa ang names kay naay tax nga gi-less. Ang timeline as of last week is that this will be released, hopefully, by the month of January,” Gaane explained.

She assured that the finance office is committed to processing and releasing the HEA within the month.

“Ang gi-assure sa finance office na, within this month, ma-release ang HEA for 16 months, and that would be the last HEA na ma-release sa DOH,” she added.

For her part, Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez advised Councilor Moreno to personally follow up on the latest updates regarding the matter and remarked, "If you see that the answer took so many days, go and see them."