Department of Health (DOH) will once again hire over 26,000 health workers as part of the implementation of Universal Health Care (UHC) program in 2020.
The recruitment and deployment of these health workers is still under the Human Resource for Health Deployment Program (HRHDP) of the DOH. The health department will hire 744 doctors, 19,700 nurses, 4,538 midwives, 222 dentists, 303 pharmacists, 200 nutritionist-dieticians, 601 medical technologists, and 81 physical therapists under the program.
The HRHDP is a thrust of DOH to deploy, redistribute, and retain health workers in the country to enhance access to quality health services. Priority areas are far-flung, geographically-isolated, disadvantaged, and remote communities with inadequate health personnel.
HRH workers are at the forefront of the government’s implementation of UHC Law.
HRH Budget
In the proposed 2020 national budget submitted by Department Budget and Management (DBM) and already approved by the lower house of Congress, HRHDP got a total of P9.5 billion funding.
The P2.5 billion is lodged under the DOH budget and the rest of P7 billion will be taken from Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund. Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (total: P63.4 billon) is Special Purpose Fund used for personnel-related expenses, such as the creation of new positions and the filling up of authorized positions, among others.
Health workers hired under DOH HRH program get higher salary based on Salay Standardization Law, and receive benefits like regular government personnel, such as Personnel Economic Relief Allowance, Mid-Year Bonus, Year-End Bonus, and Cash Gift, among others.
Last year, recruitment and selection start as early as October, but the full implementation was delayed due to late approval of national budget.
DBM has submitted to Congress the P4.1 trillion National Expenditure Progam (NEP) or the proposed 2020 National Budget, which was already approved in the House of Representatives.
Both houses of Congress vowed that they will promptly pass the 2020 national budget this time, and make it ready for President’s signing before the year ends.
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