Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) for Contact Tracers in the Philippines

A practitioner’s guide to the legal basis, eligibility, rates, coverage period, documentation, and enforcement issues

1) What the HEA is—and what it replaced

Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) is a statutory monthly allowance granted to health-care and non-health-care personnel who physically rendered COVID-19 response work during the period that the Philippines was under a State of Public Health Emergency (PHE).
It consolidated and superseded the temporary benefits used earlier in the pandemic (e.g., Special Risk Allowance and Active Hazard Duty Pay). The Department of Health (DOH) operationalized this transition through the “One COVID-19 Allowance” (OCA) scheme, which later became the HEA under the permanent framework.

Key effect for contact tracers: contact tracing personnel—though often not “health workers” in the strict clinical sense—are expressly contemplated as eligible non-health-care workers when they performed COVID-19 response functions with risk of exposure.

2) Legal bases (core enactments you should cite)

Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and Bayanihan to Recover as One Act – created interim COVID-19 benefits (e.g., SRA, compensation for illness/death) at the height of the pandemic.
Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act (R.A. 11712, 2022) – converted temporary benefits into a standing statutory entitlement during a declared PHE and expressly covers both health-care and non-health-care workers involved in COVID-19 response.
Presidential proclamations –
- PHE declared on 8 March 2020 (start of entitlement window).
- PHE lifted on 21 July 2023 (end of entitlement window for continuing accrual).
DOH/DBM implementing issuances – define risk tiers, documentary proofs, proration rules, funding flow, and liquidation/audit requirements. (Agencies periodically updated guidance, but the core mechanics below have remained consistent.)

3) Who counts as a “contact tracer” for HEA

Covered:

Contact tracers hired by LGUs, the DILG, or through contractors/outsourced service providers;
Job order (JO), contract of service (COS), casual, contractual, and plantilla engagements;
Volunteers or temporary hires, if officially mobilized by government for COVID-19 response.

Minimum conditions:

Official assignment to contact tracing or related COVID-19 response functions (case investigation, exposure assessment, verification/follow-up, field interviews, reporting);
Physical reporting or field work (onsite/field; pure remote work is ordinarily not compensable);
Exposure risk consistent with DOH risk tier definitions (see §4).

Not covered: purely administrative roles with no genuine risk of exposure; personnel whose participation was entirely remote and never required field/onsite contact during the claimed period.

4) Rates and risk tiers

HEA is a fixed monthly amount determined by risk of exposure actually faced at the worksite (not by job title). Typical tiers used by DOH:

High risk – ₱9,000/month Direct, frequent, or prolonged interaction with probable/confirmed cases or their close contacts in uncontrolled settings; repeated field interviews; household or workplace cluster investigations; limited engineering controls.
Moderate risk – ₱6,000/month Regular interaction with suspected exposures but with better controls (e.g., scheduled field visits, structured triaging, consistent PPE and distancing).
Low risk – ₱3,000/month Infrequent/transient interactions, primarily office-based validation or follow-ups with minimal direct exposure and adequate controls.

Important: The actual assignment and conditions determine the tier; LGUs/agencies document this through risk assessment forms approved by the Head of Office/Local Chief Executive (or authorized official).

5) Coverage period and cut-off rules

Accrual window: 8 March 2020 to 21 July 2023 (the life of the PHE).
Start of individual entitlement: the date the contact tracer actually began eligible COVID-19 duties and physically reported.
End: the earlier of (a) cessation of eligible duties, (b) separation from service, or (c) 21 July 2023.
Retroactivity: Agencies processed retroactive months when documentary proof exists and funds are available.

6) Proration, attendance, and “no work, no HEA”

Proration: If a contact tracer worked less than a full month, HEA is prorated by days actually rendered in eligible duty.
Attendance threshold: Some earlier SRA rules used 96-hours minimum per month; under HEA/OCA practice, days of actual physical duty (as certified) govern proration.
Leave/absence: Authorized leave without duty days does not earn HEA for the period of non-exposure; duty during quarantines or when redeployed to non-COVID tasks is ordinarily not compensable unless exposure risk remains.

7) Funding and who pays

Primary funding source: DOH budget lines for HEA (including continuing appropriations and GAAs), released to implementing agencies/LGUs based on validated lists (“sub-allotments” or cash allocations) and liquidation of prior tranches.
For DILG-hired tracers: payment typically runs through the DILG payroll mechanism using funds released to DILG for that purpose; LGU-hired tracers are paid by the LGU using DOH-downloaded funds (or LGU funds subject to later reimbursement, where allowed).
Private facilities/contractors: entitled workers may be paid through the employer, subject to DOH verification and standard audit.

8) Taxes, contributions, and overlaps with other benefits

Tax treatment: HEA has been administered tax-exempt under the governing statute. (Contrast with ordinary honoraria/allowances, which are generally taxable; HEA is specifically exempt because it is a pandemic-response benefit.)
No double-payment: HEA replaces earlier SRA/AHDP for the same month; you cannot receive both for overlapping periods.
Co-existence with other entitlements: meal/accommodation/transportation allowances, and compensation for COVID-19 sickness or death (₱15,000 for mild/moderate; ₱100,000 for severe/critical; ₱1,000,000 for death) are separate and may be claimed if criteria are met.

9) Documentation you need (and who signs what)

Masterlist of eligible personnel (name, position/engagement type, worksite, contact number).
Designation/Order of Assignment to COVID-19 response (contact tracing) stating period and duties.
Daily time records/Accomplishment reports (or equivalent attendance logs) proving physical reporting or field deployment.
Risk assessment & tier classification per month, approved by the head of office/LCE.
Proof of engagement (appointment, JO/COS contract, contract amendment for redeployment).
Payroll documents (payroll, vouchers, certifications), including certification of actual services rendered by the immediate supervisor.
For retroactive claims: Affidavit/certification when primary records are incomplete, plus corroborating rosters/line lists, and contact tracing reports.

10) How to compute (illustrative)

Scenario A (full month, moderate risk): Assigned 1–31 May; physically reported all working days. HEA = ₱6,000.
Scenario B (partial month): Assigned 10–31 May; 16 duty days out of 23 working days counted. HEA ≈ ₱6,000 × (16/23) = ₱4,173.
Scenario C (risk changes): First half at high risk, second half at low risk; compute per period then add:
- 1–15 May (high): ₱9,000 × (11/23) ≈ ₱4,304
- 16–31 May (low): ₱3,000 × (12/23) ≈ ₱1,565
- Total ≈ ₱5,869.

(Use actual working days/duty days per agency’s proration template.)

11) Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

“Title-based” classification. Risk tier must reflect actual exposure, not job title. Keep monthly risk certifications.
Missing field duty proof. Keep itineraries, call sheets, household visit logs, and coordination emails.
Claiming beyond 21 July 2023. Accrual stops when the PHE was lifted; only unpaid arrears may be processed afterwards.
Double claims with SRA/AHDP. Ensure the payroll month is tagged either under old benefits (pre-HEA months) or under HEA/OCA, not both.
Audit findings on unsupported lists. Align names across contracts, DTRs, and masterlists; fix spelling/ID inconsistencies.

12) Process flow (typical for LGUs and DILG)

Compilation of required documents by the office in charge (e.g., City/Municipal Health Office or DILG field office).
Validation by an internal committee (HR/Accounting/Program) against DOH templates.
Submission to DOH (or DILG HQ) for funding release; resolve clarificatory queries quickly.
Payroll preparation & disbursement to eligible workers.
Liquidation to DOH/DBM/COA using standardized schedules and proofs.
Handling disallowances: If COA issues a Notice of Suspension/Disallowance, respond with documentation; where ineligible, agencies may seek post-audit remedies or recover overpayments pursuant to standard COA rules.

13) Enforcement, remedies, and timelines

Right to payment: HEA is a statutory monetary benefit; once eligibility is proven, non-payment can be challenged administratively.
Where to go first: the employing agency/LGU payroll unit, then the regional DOH Center for Health Development (funding/validation issues).
Escalation: Written complaint to the Civil Service Commission (for plantilla personnel issues), Department of Labor and Employment (if engagement is employer–employee), or COA for audit-related holds; Ombudsman for inaction amounting to neglect.
Prescription: Claims vs. the government generally observe COA’s 6-year rule for money claims (counted from when the claim accrued or from lifting of the PHE for continuing accrual issues). File early; keep originals/certified copies.

14) Quick answers (FAQs)

Are contact tracers eligible even if hired as JO/COS? Yes, if they physically performed COVID-19 tracing work within the PHE period and meet documentary requirements.
Is HEA taxable? Administered as tax-exempt under the statute.
Can I claim for months I was on WFH? Generally no, unless you also performed documented field/onsite tracing that month.
What if my risk tier changed mid-month? Agencies may split the month and compute per-tier.
Can HEA still be paid after July 21, 2023? Yes, as arrears for eligible months within the PHE, subject to funds and documentation.

15) Practical checklist for a contact tracer

Employment/engagement paper (appointment or JO/COS).
Written designation to contact tracing with dates.
DTRs/time logs + field itineraries and/or case interview logs.
Monthly risk assessment form approved by your head of office.
Copy of the payroll or certification of non-payment for months being claimed.
Government ID and contact details for fund transfer.

Bottom line

If you physically performed contact tracing during the 8 March 2020–21 July 2023 PHE window, you are within the class that the law intended to protect. Secure your assignment orders, attendance, and risk-tier certifications; insist on proper validation and funding; and escalate promptly if payment stalls. The HEA is not a discretionary grant—it is a statutory allowance owed upon proof of eligibility.