President Rodrigo Duterte has given concerned authorities until June 9 to release sickness and death benefits for health workers who contracted coronavirus disease while performing their work.

In a virtual press briefing in Davao City, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte was fuming when he learned that the health workers' benefits have not been released.

"The President was very angry. He's frustrated," he said of how the President reacted when he learned that after over two months since Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act was passed no fund releases have been made yet for the beneficiaries.

"The President is giving all the concerned authorities until Tuesday to release the compensation benefits to health workers who got sick due to COVID-19 in the line of duty and to the family of health workers who perished," Roque said.

RA 11469 provides compensation of P100,000 to public and private health workers who may contract severe COVID-10 infection while in the line of duty and P1 million to public and private health workers who may die while fighting the pandemic.

The law, which Duterte approved on March 24 and became effective on May 26, has retroactive application from February 1, 2020.

There were 32 health workers, mostly doctors, who died in the country due to COVID-19. Celerina Monte/DMS