CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — Complaints from health workers who have yet to receive their Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) continue to reach the Cebu City Council, prompting Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. to demand accountability from the city government.
Alcover told The Freeman that even while recuperating from surgery, he has continued to receive reports from health workers hoping that the city government will finally release what is due to them.
He appealed for patience among affected workers but assured them that he would take up their concerns during the council’s regular session on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
Alcover has filed a proposed resolution asking the Office of the Mayor, the City Administrator, and the Human Resource Development Office to submit a comprehensive written report on the status of the HEA.
The measure seeks disclosure of the total number of health workers identified as eligible beneficiaries; those who have already received their allowances; those who remain unpaid; and the reasons for non-release. It also requires the city to report the total amount of funds downloaded from the national coffers, the amount already disbursed, and the remaining balance.
Furthermore, the resolution calls for a clear timeline and action plan to ensure the full payment of all qualified beneficiaries.
Despite national assurances, Cebu City remains among the areas with unresolved claims.
In late 2025, Alcover delivered a privilege speech that led to an executive session where city officials admitted that redundant clearances and documentation requirements had slowed the disbursement process. The council then urged the executive department to streamline procedures, but months later, many health workers are still awaiting payment.
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier announced the release of ?6.8 billion to cover more than 1.4 million HEA claims nationwide, emphasizing that qualified workers who served during the Covid-19 pandemic should receive their allowances once local government units complete the required documentation and disbursement processes.
The DOH has repeatedly urged LGUs to fast-track liquidation and reporting to ensure that funds reach their intended beneficiaries without further delay.
Alcover’s call for accountability extends beyond health allowances. He has also filed a separate resolution seeking a full accounting of disaster-related funds, including the ?153 million calamity fund allocated for Typhoon Tino response efforts, as well as donations mobilized for relief and rehabilitation.
His measure requires the city government to submit, within 15 days, a detailed and itemized report on how these funds were utilized.
For Alcover, the issue goes beyond allowances or calamity funds—it is about restoring public confidence in Cebu City’s governance.
As he returns to the council session this week with renewed calls for transparency, health workers continue to press for the release of benefits they say they rightfully earned on the frontlines of the pandemic.
| Written by Caecent No-ot Magsumbol
