The Palace on Monday assured workers in the healthcare sector owed ₱7,000 in benefits and performance-based bonuses delayed since 2021 that the administration is working to resolve the issue.

During a press briefing at the Malacañang, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Department of Health (DOH) has sent a letter to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for clarification on the disbursement of outstanding reimbursements.

“Ito po ay inaayos po at may isyu lamang po nang kaunti sa COA (Commission on Audit) kung saan ang DOH po ngayon ay nagpadala na po ng sulat sa DBM para sa mga clarification patungkol sa issues dahil nandudoon po ang mga isyu tungkol sa mga … iyong medical allowance involving the verification ng disbursement modes tulad ng direct HMO provider engagement or cash reimbursement, eligibility coverage or documentary attachments. So, ito iyong mga issues na kinakailangang maresolba,” she said.

Castro said beneficiaries can count on the administration to resolve the matter, although she admitted that an exact date as to the release of the overdue benefits is yet to be determined.

The statement comes after the Alliance of Health Workers pointed out in a statement that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not address the unreleased benefits owed to the pandemic medical frontliners in his most recent State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“The President failed to acknowledge the long-overdue unpaid benefits still owed to thousands of health workers. He made no commitment to release the unpaid ₱7,000 Medical Allowance, the long-delayed Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) for eligible health workers for 2021, 2022, and 2024, and other pending benefits that health workers have repeatedly demanded,” the group said.