By Brian Jules Campued
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the release of a P1.295-billion budget to electrify unenergized schools and over P91 billion in emergency allowance to cover health workers’ benefits from 2021 to 2023.
In a statement on Thursday, the DBM said that the Special Allotment Release Order to the Department of Education (DepEd) will also cover the funding requirements for the modernization of electrical systems in on-grid schools nationwide.
“The allocation will cover the following regions: Cordillera Administrative Region, CARAGA, National Capital Region, Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII,” it added.
According to the Special Provision of the 2024 General Appropriations Act, the DepEd shall prioritize the use of solar energy as a source of electricity in both off-grid and on-grid public schools.
The release fund is chargeable against DepEd’s built-in appropriations under the 2024 national budget.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman underscored the importance of investing in the education sector as it will improve the learning environment for students and teachers in the country.
“Let us light up every classroom, sparking curiosity and igniting dreams. In the spirit of the Bagong Pilipinas, where discipline, prudence, continuous learning, patience, and integrity are paramount, let us collectively work toward a brighter future for our beloved Philippines under the visionary leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.,” she added.
Health emergency benefits
Meanwhile, at least P91.283 billion has already been released for the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA) of all health workers since 2021.
In a separate statement, the DBM said it has released a total of P12.1 billion for 2021, P28 billion for 2022, P31.1 billion for 2023, and P19.962 billion for 2024 to the Department of Health (DOH).
In a letter to the DOH, the DBM noted that the PHEBA included some P73.26 billion for Health Emergency Allowance(HEA)/One COVID-19 Allowance, P12.90 billion for Special Risk Allowance, P3.65 billion for COVID-19 Sickness and Death Compensation, and P1.4 billion for other benefits, such as meal, accommodation, and transportation allowance.
Based on the DOH report, out of the said amount, the agency was able to release P76 billion.
Both departments earlier agreed that there is a need for the DOH to urgently finalize the computation of the HEA claims in arrears to enable the DBM to determine if additional funding requirements are necessary despite the released PHEBA allocations for health care and non-health care workers.
The DBM suggested that the DOH should develop HEA mapping that would capture and present all PHEBA claims and payments by region/health facilities for the period covered by the benefit.
“The information gathered from the HEA mapping shall be used in expediting final determination of the amount of deficiency to cover the full settlement of arrears,” it added.
The DBM also recommended that the record be made public in the DOH website for transparency.
“The DOH committed to submit the aforementioned HEA mapping with the final amount of computed PHEBA deficiencies not later than March this year, subject to the DBM’s validation based on submitted documents and the amounts reflected in the Health Emergency Allowance Processing System,” the DBM statement read. – avds
