Koronadal City, South Cotabato – Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr. announced during the flag-raising ceremony of the Provincial Capitol employees on November 16 that he personally requested the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of South Cotabato to grant the remaining two hundred thirty five pesos (P235.00) per day hazard pay of the employees who physically came to work during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) periods.
Not all employees are eligible for hazard pay, apparently because not everyone is exposed to hazardous work conditions. Hazard pay laws and presidential directives in the Philippines define certain types of government workers who should receive this allowance.
For government employees, Administrative Order 26 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte on March 2020 grants COVID-19 hazard pay to government personnel authorized to physically come to work in areas under ECQ or MECQ.
According to the Civil Service Commission, government personnel working from home will not receive hazard pay. Government workers in regular, contractual, casual, contract of service, and job order positions are entitled to the COVID-19 hazard pay if they work in any of the following offices: national government agencies, state universities and colleges (SUCs), government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), Senate, House of Representatives, Judiciary, Office of the Ombudsman, other independent constitutional bodies, local government units (depending on the LGU’s financial capability), and local water districts.
The maximum daily rate for COVID-19 hazard pay per government employee is five hundred pesos (P500). The total amount that one will receive is computed based on how many days he came to work during the ECQ and MECQ periods.
The formula for computing the COVID-19 hazard pay of qualified government employees in the Philippines is as follows:
- COVID-19 Hazard Pay = PHP 500 x Number of days an employee physically reported for work during ECQ and MECQ
One working day is equivalent to a maximum of eight (8) working hours. The COVID-19 hazard pay rate is pro-rated or adjusted proportionately for workers in government hospitals with 12-hour or 24-hour shifts as well as part-time employees.
“Sa tanan nga mga employees nga kabalo ko during lockdown, wala man gid kita nag-expect sang hazard pay during that time, pero nag-sakripisyo kamo. Ang national government nagpagwa sang isa ka mandato nga mag release hazard pay sa tanan nga mga nag render sang ila services during the lockdown, for a maximum of five hundred pesos (P500.00),” Governor Tamayo said.
“During that time, nag hatag kita sang two hundred sixty five pesos (P265.00). Madamo ang nag question kay ngaa P265.00 lang daw ang gihatag naton. Medyo taningala ako kay syempre wala man ta nag expect, ti naghatag kita, abi ko malipay, pero kay gitagaan mo kulang sa maximum, nagreklamo. Kay tungod nagreklamo, nag request ako liwat sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan nga kung pwede, “buligan nyo nalang ako, para ihatag ta nalang kung ano ang mahatag ta.” Kag salamat sa mga miyembro sang SP kag sa tanan nga mga offices, pwede nyo na i-process ang inyo nga payroll sa kulang sang five hundred pesos (P500.00),” he added.
The employees, on the other hand, were very grateful and joyful for the “good news” and “early Christmas gift” they have received.
