An organization of health workers urges the government to release first their benefits before increasing their salaries.
This developed as the Philippine Federation of Professional Associations (PFPA) called on Congress to review the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers.
The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) issued the statement in light of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s pronouncement that he would address the salary disparity between nurses in private hospitals and their counterparts in the public sector.
“At present, they should solve the problem with the release of benefits like the One COVID Allowance (OCA) and the Health Emergency Allowance, which health workers have been waiting for since last year,” AHW president Robert Mendoza said.
Reports have it that majority of the health workers have yet to receive their OCA and other benefits they are entitled to, Mendoza said, adding that the health and budget departments continue to point fingers over the release of funds.
Mendoza recalled that last August 31, the Department of Health (DPH) said negotiations were underway with the Department of Budget and Management regarding the release of the P63 billion they requested.
“But yesterday the DBM said the DOH is at fault because they have been telling them to submit the required documents, but the DOH hasn’t been doing this, so they can’t release the fund,” he noted.
He said it was about time that the government considers doubling the salaries of nurses and other healthcare workers.
“If President Duterte doubled the salaries of policemen and soldiers during his term, maybe government can now double the salaries of health workers so they don’t need to go abroad,” Mendoza said.
He stressed that nurses and other health workers need a living wage.
“Kasi alam po natin na ang ating gobyerno ay nagtalaga siya ng isang ahensya dati, ng National Wage & Productivity Commission at nagtigil yung kanyang pagbibigay ng family living wage.
“The National Wage and Productivity Commission is supposed to indicate a living wage, In 2008 they said its P707 but it hasn’t given an updated number,” he added.
The Magna Carta for Health Workers should be reviewed by the Senate and Congress so that additional protection could be given to the health workers.),” PFPA leader Dr. Benito Atienza said in a public briefing.
The country is experiencing a “brain drain” as nurses, medical technicians, and physical therapists go abroad for higher compensation, Atienza said.
Atienza earlier said bigger compensation should be given to deployed health workers.
“They should be given more benefits, especially with the implementation of the Universal Health Care law. We need more doctors and nurses,” he said.
Atienza also said some health workers have yet to receive their benefits under Bayanihan 1 and Bayanihan 2.
“Many of the doctors and nurses from the private sector have yet to receive theirs because of the long process. We need to intensify our campaign on this and to expedite the process,” he said.
“What we’re saying is the health sector should be prioritized by the government, especially since we are still in the middle of the pandemic,” he said.
