DILG to find out why Cainta nurse who died from COVID-19 not allegedly treated well

August 13, 2020

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday said they will investigate the alleged reduction of the hazard pay of a nurse at the Cainta Municipal Hospital who recently died from COVID-19.

Interior Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said they will ask Cainta officials to explain why it reduced the nurse, Ma. Theresa Cruz, hazard pay and why its release was delayed.

The DILG will also ask why they allegedly refused to give her a swab test after she had close contact with a COVID patient.

In a viral social media post, her daughter, Joie Cruz, lamented that instead of the expected around P30,000, what she received from the Cainta local government unit was only around P7,000.

“Apparently, the COVID hazard pay of the nurses in their public hospital has been reduced to just P150 per day and on top of it were deductions that were not even properly explained by the hospital administration. In the end, it appears my mom was only given P 64.18 per day for her COVID hazard pay for 41 days,” Cruz said in her post.

Malaya said the Cruz family received the special risk allowance under the Bayanihan Act which corresponds to a maximum of 25 percent of her monthly salary but it is still unclear why the Cainta officials reduced her hazard pay from P500 to P64.18/day.

“Cainta is a first class municipality so I see no reason why it could not afford to pay the P500/day hazard pay granted to all health workers during this global pandemic,” he said.

Malaya also said the DILG and the Department of Health (DOH) will ensure that she receives the P1 million compensation for health workers who died in the line of duty under the Bayanihan Act.

“Sec Duque has assured us that they will expeditiously process the compensation upon submission of the family of the application and requirements,” he said.

“We will ensure that her family receives all the benefits provided under the law. This is the least we can do to honor her service to the municipality of Cainta where she worked in its LGU-run public hospital for more than 10 years - the first four years of those without any salary,” he added.

Malaya also said they want Cainta officials to explain why it allegedly denied Ms. Cruz a swab test after she was exposed to a COVID-19 patient and why an official angrily cursed at her after her daughter commented on a local politician's post last March on the conditions at the Cainta Municipal Hospital.

“We have to take care of our health workers because they are the ones who take care of us. Without them, we lose the war against COVID-19. Therefore, we will investigate and determine who should be held accountable,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS