MOA for COVID-19 allowanceof JRBGH health workers OKd

THE grant of the One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA) for health workers assigned at the city-owned J.R. Borja General Hospital is in the offing.

This, after the 20th City Council headed by City Vice Mayor Jocelyn B. Rodriguez during its 11th regular session Monday, enacted an ordinance authorizing Mayor Rolando A. Uy to enter into and sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Northern Mindanao, covering the grant of OCA.

It may be recalled that Councilor Malvern Esparcia aired the queries of some health workers on the status of the delay of the release of special risk allowance and OCA.

In his letter to the City Council, Mayor Uy informed the legislative body that under the agreement each healthcare worker and non-healthcare worker who are involved in the COVID-19 response shall receive the said benefits depending on their level of COVID-19 exposure as prescribed under the DOH guidelines.

The Gavel learned that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and DOH issued a joint circular for the provision of the OCA of eligible public and private healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers including medical workers from JRBGH.

Under the MOA, the DOH-CHD shall transfer the funds to the City in the amount indicated in the guidelines on the sub-allotment/transfer of funds for the grant of OCA to eligible health workers.

It shall evaluate the list of healthcare workers submitted by the city every month under the disbursement mechanism effected, and shall approve the final list in accordance with guidelines.

For its part, the City shall submit to the DOH-CHD the financial and accomplishment reports for monitoring, in accordance with the pertinent accounting and auditing rules and regulations on or before the 10th day of the month following its recording in the monthly statement or allowance or allotment and obligation and balance.

The MOA was reviewed and endorsed by the committees on health and health insurance and on laws and rules chaired by Councilors Maria Lourdes S. Gaane and Ian Mark Q. Nacaya, respectively.