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NAGSAGAWA ng noise barrage protest kahapon ang health workers mula sa iba’t ibang Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC) hospitals para hilingin na bayaran ang kanilang One COVID Allowance (OCA) at Health Emergency Allowance (HEA).
Ayon sa Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), tila nagtataingang-kawali ang Department of Health (DOH) at Department of Budget and Management (DBM) sa panawagan na ipagkaloob ang CoVid-19 benefits na matagal na sanang natanggap ng health workers ng mga GOCC hospital.
Bukod sa GOCC hospital workers, hindi pa rin natatanggap ng health workers mula sa local government units (LGU) at private hospitals ang kanilang OCA at HEA.
“DOH should uphold its mandate to ensure our welfare as health workers. Not releasing our rightful long overdue benefits is demoralizing. For more than two years now, our situation has become more miserable. We have been fighting for these benefits since the start of the pandemic. Kakarampot na nga lang, ayaw pang ibigay,” sabi ni Salome Ejes, acting president ng Philippine Heart Center Employees Association – AHW.
Matatandaang binatikos ng AHW ang OCA dahil magkakaiba ang halaga ng benepisyong natatanggap ng health worker, batay sa itinakdang klasipikasyon ng risk exposure nila sa CoVid.
Alinsunod sa OCA, ang low risk health workers ay makatatanggap ng P3,000; ang medium risk ay P6,000; at P9,000 sa may high-risk exposure kada buwan.
“We stand firm that all health workers are at high risk of COVID-19 as its transmission is airborne. OCA must be given equally. All health workers should receive P9K as COVID-19 cases are now increasing due to its different variants. More so, a new threat of a viral and infectious Monkeypox is arising in which four cases already exist in the PH,” dagdag ni Ejes.
Sinabi ni Edwin Pacheco, presidente ng National Kidney and Transplant Institute Employees Association-AHW, hindi na halos magkasya ang kanilang suweldo para tustusan ang gastusin gaya ng pagkain, transportasyon, utilities, ang edukasyon ng kanilang mga anak kaya’t malaking tulong sana ang allowances gaya ng OCA at HEA.
Hiniling ng AHW na itaas sa P33,671 ang Salary Grade 1 kada buwan lalo na’t ang family living wage ay itinakda sa P1,107 bawat araw upang mabuhay nang marangal ang isang pamilya sa gitna ng paglobo ng presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin.
“We heard that on Monday, August 22, the DBM submitted to Congress the proposed P5.268T national budget for 2023. Thus, we challenge the legislators and Marcos, Jr. administration to heed our call for salary increase, fund and provide our long overdue benefits, job security against contractual labor as well as humane and safe working conditions.” ani Pacheco. (ROSE NOVENARIO)
