Dr. Agnes Realiza, head of the Lapu-Lapu City Health Office, said that they are now finalizing the list of healthcare workers who will receive the One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA).
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — The Lapu-Lapu City Government is now finalizing the list of healthcare workers (HCWs) and non-HCWs who will receive the One Coranavirus Disease 2019 (COVID)-19 Allowance (OCA).
This was confirmed by Lapu-Lapu City Health Office head Dr. Agnes Realiza on Wednesday, August 3, 2022.
“Wala pa, amo pa e-finalize (ang list sa makadawat sa OCA),” Realiza said.
During the regular session of the city council on July 27, 2022, Councilor Emilio Galaroza passed a resolution to allow the distribution of OCA to frontliners.
OCA is given to public and private HCWs and non-HCWs, regardless of employment status, who are involved in COVID-19 response in all health facilities, including military hospitals, government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), state university hospitals, and private-licensed health facilities.
In the Joint Circular No. 2022-0001 of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) issued on February 10, 2022, OCA is given to public HWC and non-HWC employees occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions, whether full-time or part-time; or workers engaged through a contract of service (COS) or job order (JO) basis, including duly accredited and registered barangay health workers (BHWs).
Further, the joint circular stipulates that the amount of the COVID-19 benefits shall vary according to the risk exposure of the HCW and non-HCW in a particular setting: three thousand pesos (P3,000) for low risk, six thousand pesos (P6,000) for medium risk, and nine thousand pesos (P9,000) for high risk.
In addition, the said COVID-19 benefits shall be granted in full if HCW or non-HCW has physically rendered services for at least 96 hours in a month. Otherwise, the benefit shall be granted prorated.
DOH has earlier allocated P7.919 billion for the OCA, which was included in the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA). /rcg
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