• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The provincial government of Negros Occidental is considering the P7,000 medical allowance granted to each government employee by the national government for payment towards health insurance premiums.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday said he wants to ensure that the allowance goes to its intended purpose.
The annual medical allowance will be given to qualified civilian government personnel as a subsidy to avail health maintenance organization (HMO)-type benefits, as disclosed earlier by Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
By paying health insurance premiums, Lacson said Capitol employees may have greater medical coverage.
“If I give you P7,000, do you think you’ll use it for medicines?” the governor asked. However, Lacson said he will first sit down with the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE), which represents the provincial government employees.
The DBM circular covers all civilian government personnel in national government agencies, including state universities and colleges and government-owned and controlled corporations not covered by Republic Act 10149 and EO 150, s. 2021.
The grant is in line with Executive Order (EO) 64 s. 2024, which also prescribed the salary increase for government personnel, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on August 2, 2024.
All government workers, regardless of appointment status—whether regular, casual, or contractual; appointive or elective; and on a full-time or part-time basis—are eligible for the medical grant.
Employees in local government units and local water districts are also covered.
Capitol employees are also covered by the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Care Program.
“We pretty much cover the medical needs of our employees,” Lacson said. | GB
