The group of health workers reiterated the immediate provision of benefits that have long been provided to them by the government.
“Mage-expire na ‘yung ating Bayanihan 2 ngayong katapusan ng June so ang benepisyong ito mula pa noong September hanggang sa December last year na dapat ibigay sa ating mga health workers subalit hanggang ngayon parang naninikluhod pa rin ang mga health workers sa Department of Health at sa ating gobyerno na ibigay na talaga ito,” said Robert Mendoza, national president of the Alliance of Health Workers.
In an interview with TeleRadyo Wednesday morning, Mendoza said they are asking the Department of Health to return about P300 million to hospitals for meals, accommodation, and transportation benefits of health workers under Bayanihan law.
According to the group, such a benefit is intended abruptly recognizing the contribution of health workers against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Dahil sa ating tuloy-tuloy na dialogue sa DOH (Department of Health) at sa DBM (Department of Budget and Management) sumulat tayo kay President [Rodrigo] Duterte na dapat gawin na itong cash equivalent, kasi dati hindi malinaw ang department order ng Department of Health na kung paano ba ito ibibigay,” he said.
Group insists benefits for health workers
He explained that the DOH has already used the funds for other things such as hiring additional health workers, vaccination programs, and compensation for health workers who fell ill with COVID-19.
“May sarili ‘yang budget, bakit [‘yung pondo para sa] meal, transpo, at accommodation ginamit mo? ‘Yun ang nakakalungkot. Hindi pa nga nage-enjoy ‘yung nabigyan ng pondo bakit ibibigay sa ibang health workers,” he said.
Some health workers have been given such benefits in various forms such as giving gift checks. But they prefer to make it cash because health workers know better what they need.
“Sana naman ang Department of Health, as early as possible, bago matapos ang June na ito ay ibalik na ‘yung perang kinuha nila sa iba ibang hospitals para ma-enjoy na ng mga health workers,” he said.
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