DOH probes Escudero’s complaint on unpaid Sorsogon nurses

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said it is investigating the complaint of Sorsogon governor Francis “Chiz” Escudero after he claimed that nine out of the 11 nurses deployed in the province did not receive their salaries.

DOH “gave” us 11!nurses to augment our hospitals re COVID-19. 2 only got a salary for 2 mos. after workinh for 5 mos. & the 9 didnt get any salary after working for over a month. Only one (1) is left w/ us now! NO ONE GOT ANY BENEFITS in violation of their contract. #SalamatDOH

— Chiz Escudero (@SayChiz) November 19, 2020

“We’re trying to investigate. Unang-una, gusto ko lang ipag-bigay alam sa ating publiko, we do not take these things lightly,” DOH Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online press briefing.

(First of all, I want to inform the public that we do not take these things lightly.)

“Ayaw po namin merong na-aagrabyado sa mga ginagawa nating proseso especially in this time of pandemic,” she added. “Gusto natin lahat nabibigyan ng kaukulang bayad at tsaka yung kanilang benepisyo dahil alam po natin na sila ay nagta-trabaho at nagmamalasakit para sa ating mga kababayan.”

(We do not want to shortchange anybody with our process especially during this time of the pandemic. We want everyone to get sufficient pay and their benefits because we know they have been working hard for our people.)

It was on Thursday when Escudero, on Twitter, called out the DOH for the unpaid nurses.

According to him, of the 11 nurses that were deployed to Sorsogon, two received salaries for two months after working for five months.

DOH “gave” us 11!nurses to augment our hospitals re COVID-19. 2 only got a salary for 2 mos. after workinh for 5 mos. & the 9 didnt get any salary after working for over a month. Only one (1) is left w/ us now! NO ONE GOT ANY BENEFITS in violation of their contract. #SalamatDOH

— Chiz Escudero (@SayChiz) November 19, 2020

“[And] the 9 [didn’t] get any salary after working for over a month,” Escudero added. “Only one is left w/ us now! NO ONE GOT ANY BENEFITS in violation of their contract.”

Because of this, Vergeire said the DOH is now in talks with the regional director and finance officers to look into the matter.

“Tinawagan na ho namin yung regional director natin dyan, tinawagan na rin po natin yung ating mga finance officers para makita po kung saan nagkaroon ng ganitong mga issues so that we can address it immediately,” she said.

(We already talked to the regional director there, we also talked to the finance officers to see what’s going on so we can address the issue immediately.)

/MUF